Caricatures Of Intimacy
by blackkunoichi
Summary: With life, there are always decisions to be made, but what happens when those decisions interfere with how you want to feel about something. Could choices change how you see someone and possibly alter how you wanted to see them in your mind?full desc
1. Life Reads Like A Book

Well Well back for more I see! Ehehe in any case, for those of you that have read any of my stories, I'm glad you've stayed tuned ;3 nice to have some dedicated readers. This is a stretch for me as I'm not soo good at angst but I'm finding I like the edge to the story line a lot more! So anyways, without further to do, my newest story!

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**♥Caricatures of Intimacy♥**

Chapter 1 Life Reads Like A Book

**_With life, there are always decisions to be made, but what happens when those decisions interfere with how you want to feel about something. Could choices change how you see someone and possibly alter how you wanted to see them in your mind? Sakura and Sasuke learn the hard way that sometimes you can't really choose who you fall in love with. It just happens._ **☼

**Sakura's journey…**

" How could I have ever questioned you're love for me Daimaye! You're the only man for me!"

Sakura scoffed as her fingers gently turned the page on her novel. Romance was always her favorite, but she found herself loathing the overly gushy scenes that had suddenly sprung up in the story. Her lowered eyes didn't catch the leaf drifting down from the tree's canopy above and it landed neatly in the center of the book laid out on her outstretched legs.

Her bright eyes lifted to the treetops above and the filtered rays speckled her face delicately. She felt her face warm in the sun peering at her thought the overhead covering and lowered her hand back down to look across the grassy field. The gentle slopes of the hills rolled off to the horizon and she spotted a few Genin children locked in a mock battle. She giggled as she watched them tussle about, laughing as they chased each other around.

A breeze rustled the leaves overhead, catching the pages of her book and losing her place as the pages flew on the slight draft. She sighed and drew her knees to her chin, closing the book and setting it beside her.

She picked nonchalantly at the cuff of her long sleeved shirt, wondering what she might find herself doing in the next five minutes when a brief shadow crossed over her hunched body then moved on. Her eyes darted up to see the backside of one Uchiha Sasuke and she scowled. His back stiffened and she noted he must have noticed her look up at him.

His face turned ever so slightly to catch the image of her sitting in the grass and he scoffed. She could feel her eye twitch in anger as his signature sneer spread over his lips. She itched with anger as she watched him hunch his shoulders, nose in the air as he walked off to the center of Konoha village. She looked away just as he meshed into the crowded street and she couldn't help but grind her teeth.

" God, he's such an ass," she groaned. Thankful for his _short_ interruption of her day, she gathered her book and tucked it neatly in her bag before leaving her place below the large oak and made her way home. She shuffled her feet as she made her way along the dirt path up the street to her apartment, fiddling with the silver charm around her neck.

She grimaced as she made her way up the steps to her apartment, briefly glancing next door. The white #3 glared at her from her neighbor's door and she narrowed her eyes at it before shutting her door, blocking off her visual attack on the apartment adjacent to hers. Dropping her bag by the door, she made her way to the kitchen, peering at the clock on the wall before she opened her cabinet to pull out the green tea and sugar.

She quickly boiled water, letting her tea steep in the black mug set out on the counter before she collapsed on the couch in the small living room. She shuffled around, making herself comfy as her feet hung over the couch back, her hair brushing the floor as she lay upside-down. She sighed, letting her eyes close in meditation as she focused her mind elsewhere.

Ring. Ring.

Sakura groaned as she cracked an eye open and watched as her phone jingled on the hook. Making up her mind to answer it, she slouched off the couch and slung herself into a wicker stool before grabbing the phone and putting the receiver to her ear.

" Hello, Sakura speaking," she said brightly as she pulled the mug on the counter over to her.

" Hey Sakura! It's Ino!"

Sakura grinned as she pulled the mug away from her lips, swallowing the sweet contents before replying.

" Oh Ino! I was wondering who would be bothering me," she laughed, hearing Ino's huffy sigh on the other end.

" Well, don't act _too_ happy that I called," she said with a false bite in her voice.

" Oh trust me, I'm not about to," Sakura stated, trying to hold back a fit of laughter. " So what did you call about, Ino?"

" Well, a bunch of us are going to the bar tonight, you know, since we aren't losers like you and don't take advantage of drinking when they're 21," Ino teased. Sakura rolled her eyes and waited for the elaboration.

" Anyways, I was thinking, since you never get out and have a life, maybe I should just make you. So, want to come along, meet some hot eligible men, and drink till we're wasted? How bout it Sakura?"

Sakura contemplated the consequences, but didn't get much of a response time before Ino's voice came through the earpiece again.

" Oh come on Sakura, it won't kill you to let loose once in awhile!" Sakura could hear the plea in her friends voice and shrugged. What would one night of fun do?

" Alright fine, when do you want me to meet you?" She could hear Ino's giggle of happiness and instantly regretted saying yes.

" We're all meeting at the bar around 8 tonight! Be there, or I'll drag you out of your house in your pajamas and you'll be forever humiliated."

" Ha, so scared. I'll be there, don't worry."

" Great! See you tonight Sakura, wear something awesome," Ino added before the line went dead. Sakura hung up the receiver and sighed. Didn't anyone say goodbye anymore?

She slid out of the chair, stretching a little before walking over the cool hardwood floor to her bedroom to find something to wear. She wasn't too enthusiastic about going, knowing Ino would push off the "eligible men" on her. She tried to explain to Ino that she was happy as a single kunoichi, finding the time not spent on a relationship was used better elsewhere.

Ino protested everything Sakura said about relationships. Sakura was one for work and training, Ino the hearts and flowers kind of romantic. They never saw eye to eye, but somehow they were still the best of friends. It was Ino that had gotten Sakura hooked on the romance novels.

Ino had lent her a novel that she had just fell in love with. The story line wasn't what she thought it would be and it even had pictures, something to take her eyes of the words once in awhile. Ino had laughed, saying it was one of the worst romance novels she had ever read. Naturally Sakura disagreed, saying the characters were much more believable than the typical mushy garbage.

Sakura stood before her dresser, her fingers tracing over the kanji on the black book's cover. Bright green foliage adorned the front in delicate silk embroidery and she neatly lifted it and sat down. Opening it carefully, the pages instantly fell open to her favorite chapter, the pages wrinkled from being turned soo many times.

_Mahiro stood on the crest of the cliff, her arms spread wide as the wind caught her light red dress and billowed it out behind her. Her dark hair rode the breeze and her intense eyes scanned the fading horizon. Her lids drooped and she let her weight fall forward, her slight frame tipping over the edge to tumble into the dark abyss beyond her vision._

' _I can't be in love,' she thought desperatel.. ' Not with him. My feelings have betrayed me… I don't want to be in love with him!'_

" _Mahiro! No!"_

_Her hand was caught as she slipped over the cragged face of the sheer wall and she was swiftly pulled into a strong embrace. Her face, stained with tears of remorse and confusion, buried into her rescuer's chest as she struggled to realize why she was standing at the cliff and whose arms she was wrapped in. The pain echoed in her chest with each beat of her racing heart._

" _Who…who are you," she whispered as she looked up into her hero's eyes. His livid blue pools returned her alarmed stare and she bit her lip, not wanting to look up into his eyes as she was, but found she couldn't look away._

" _Tairu, y-you saved me? Why?"_

' _He, of all people, the one man I hate yet now love with all my heart,' her mind screamed. ' He should never have saved me.'_

" _Because," his eyes darted away, closed as he clenched his teeth, " because I love you."_

_Her dark eyes went wide with wonder. Her hand met his face slowly, cautiously turning his eyes back to hers._

" _You love me…" she said through a bright smile. Her lips crashed into his in a hurried kiss, desperate and full of want. She parted, breathing heavily as he. His eyes opened to explore her calm face._

" _Why…why did you kiss me Mahiro…I thought you hated me?"_

" _I do… I hate you for not telling me you loved me sooner," she replied._

Sakura closed her eyes and sighed. She wanted that sort of relationship. That was real. Hate, not love. People with raw emotion, that's what she liked to see. Not fake, not cute, and definitely not over-the-top drama. She just wanted real.

" Hell, what am I talking about? I don't need anyone to make me happy but myself, and that's good enough," she said happily, her eyes adverting from the book. She tossed it onto her pillow and stood, making her way through the walk-in closet to rummage through a pile of discarded clothing and pick through dresses hanging at the back of the small room.

" Why I have all this junk, I'll never know," she giggled as she pulled a frilly pink dress, ribbons lacing up the corset style front. The bottom billowed out at her mid thigh and she shook her head. What possessed her to buy such a thing was beyond her, but in some way, she was drawn to the overly sexy and skimpy dress.

" Hmm, I wonder what Ino would think if I wore this tonight. No wait I know exactly what she would say, ' Sakura that's scandalous!'" Sakura laughed as she spread the dress over her arm and laid it back down on the small dresser in the corner. She turned a full circle before letting her eyes rest on her semi-formal black dress.

Naturally all women had a little black dress, and Sakura was no exception. She pulled it carefully from the row of dresses and held it against her. The tight fabric would cling to her comfortably, showing off her every curve, the halter neck low and risqué. Plus it wasn't too short so it wasn't that inappropriate. She saved this dress for dates preferably, but Ino had said to dress awesome, so that's exactly what she would do.

She walked out to her bedroom and spread it out over her bed, laying her accessories beside it before grabbing a fluffy towel on a chair and heading off to the bathroom to prepare. She glanced at her watch as she removed it, setting it on her removed clothing.

' 2 hours to go,' she thought nervously as she turned the hot water on and stepped into the steam.

_**Sasuke's Journey… **_

Sasuke coolly walked off toward the Ichiraku, late already for his meeting with Naruto and Neji. Why Naruto had befriended that loser, Sasuke would never know. But Naruto's almost overfriendly nature had persuaded Sasuke into eating lunch with him and the Hyuuga. As if it wasn't bad enough, he had to pass her, of all people, on his way to an already irritating meal.

He had felt her glare burn a hole in the back of his head as he waltzed past her. He wanted to spit something nasty at her, get the upper hand, say something witty to hurt her, yet he felt it was punishment enough he had disturbed her peace for the day. God did he hate her. From her wide, curious, nosey green eyes to her loud and obtrusive pink hair, she was vile to him.

Their last encounter hadn't been so pretty. In fact, they had tried to kill each other with insults, Sakura finishing off her tongue lashing with a few kunai aimed at his head. He had brewed over that for sometime.

" She's such an idiot," he sighed as he made his way up the street. His feet carried him slower than usual to his seat at the ramen bar and he grimaced when the sign came into view, shielding Naruto and Neji in its grandeur. He shriveled his nose. If there was one person he hated almost as much as Sakura, it was the Hyuuga genius.

" Hey Naruto…hey, what's-your-face," he said snidely as he sat down in the swivel chair beside Naruto. Naruto scowled at Sasuke's crude remark, but brushed it off with a smile. Neji remained unmoved by his words and continued eating. Naruto tipped his chair over to Sasuke, Sasuke leaning away at the close proximity.

" Hey Sasuke, me and Neji were talking and he heard from Shikamaru who heard from Chouji who heard from Hinata that a bunch of the kunoichi are going to the bar tonight. Wanna join in, maybe pick up on some hot girls, get totally wasted then puke on something sacred?" he said through a mouthful of steaming hot ramen.

Sasuke shook his head, grinning at the fox boy. Typical Naruto, always wanting to have reckless fun. Instead of training, he would rather waste his time trying to get with the local kunoichi, or get completely drunk and wander Konoha, puking on everything.

" Alright, I can't have you ruining my good name by association. People have seen us together, what would they think of me if they saw you puke on something sacred," Sasuke chuckled, picking up his chopsticks beside his bowl of ramen.

" Alright! I'll come by your place at 8, that's when everyone's going," Naruto said happily, slurping the last of the noodles in his bowl.

Sasuke sighed, realizing this probably meant he was going to have to see _her_ there.

Sakura's Journey… 

" Ino, why the hell did you come to my house, I was leaving you know."

Ino tapped her foot impatiently, waiting for Sakura to finish locking up her apartment before blowing her bangs back with the side of her mouth, Sakura staring at her.

" Well, I wanted to make sure you weren't going to flake out like the last 5 times," she said with a devious smile. Sakura rolled her eyes and proceeded to be dragged off to the bar, figuring word had spread about everyone going to the bar and she would have her night of freedom ruined by Sasuke.

She tugged impatiently at her short dress as she and Ino walked the short distance to downtown Konoha, slipping through the alleys to ensure their early arrival. Her hand kept a firm grip at the skirts hem, ensuring it wouldn't rise to expose her weapon satchel, or anything else.

" Why are you fidgeting with your dress Sakura? You look great, now hurry up!"

Ino grabbed her hand, Sakura practically jogging in her black heels to keep up with Ino's impressive pace. They turned out into the street, already crowded with the bars regulars. They filtered into the crowd, slipping into the tepid room and sliding unseen into a booth in the dark corner of the expansive lounge.

" What can I get you two ladies?"

Sakura had barely enough time to look up as the waitress watched her and Ino expectantly before Ino responded with her usual lighting quick order.

" Two sake, please!"

" Right away miss," she said with a smile before disappearing into the crowd gathered around the bar. Sakura sighed and placed her chin in her hand and scanned the crowd with her ever-watchful eyes. Ino scowled as Sakura played with a strand of her hair, her stare focused ahead.

" Sakura, I didn't bring you here to look bored out of your skull! Try to have fun for once, please!"

Sakura turned her eyes to her friend's pouted face and laughed.

" Fine, I can 'try', but I swear Ino, if you try to get me a date with some guy again, I'll leave," Sakura countered, noticing the mischievous sneer already on Ino's face.

" Oh, now how could you even suspect?"

Shrugging her shoulders, Sakura plastered a coy grin on her painted pink lips, her eyes roaming the men that entered the front door. All handsome, all wasted personalities. A few caught her stare and sent a devious smile back at her, making her insides writhe, but she waved politely and flipped her hair in flirtation. She knew what worked, what didn't. It wasn't too hard to figure out what a guy wanted.

" Miss?"

Sakura tore her eyes away from a man at the bar she was having a staring match with and looked up to see the waitress, drink in hand.

" Oh, yes sorry," she said, sitting back a bit to allow the drink to be set before her. Eyeing the red liquid in the glass stemware, she raised an eyebrow at the young waitress.

" Oh yes, my apologies. Compliments of the young man at the bar," she said shyly before retreating.

" Oh Sakura, reeling in the men already I see!" Ino laughed, winking at Sakura. Her face fell to a smile as she nudged Sakura's leg from under the table, tilting her head in insinuation of the man behind her. Sakura turned slowly in her chair till she could see their visitor properly.

He stood taller than she knew she would, dark hair with flashy green eyes and a sincere smile that could have melted her heart had she not been so startled to find him leaning on her side of the booth. He wore the customary Jonin garb, and she could swear it would never look better on another man.

" Mind if I join you?"

Sakura looked down into her lap, feeling her face go red and nodded shyly. Ino gave Sakura a brisk kick in the shin as she rose.

" Pardon me, but I think I see some of the others we came to meet," she said, giving Sakura a knowing wink before taking off. Sakura grimaced but managed to look at her guest without her face burning to brightly.

" I noticed you come in earlier and thought you looked beautiful. I hope you didn't mind me buying you a drink," he said politely, taking Ino's seat. Sakura smiled and nodded.

" Not at all. Passion fruit is my favorite kind of flavored wine, thank you!"

He smiled and Sakura could feel her eye twitch. If she sat here, looking at him any longer, she might explode. Loud noises in the background signaled their comrades arrival and both she and her guest looked towards the door to see Naruto and Sasuke pile in with the other male Jonin.

" Damnit, he's here. I knew it," Sakura said low, gripping the hem of her dress in her fist.

" Pardon?"

" Oh, sorry, it's nothing!" she beamed. He smiled nervously as her eyes reverted back to Sasuke, narrowed and intense. His wandering gaze met hers and he scowled, taking a seat at the bar, his onyx eyes never leaving her jade ones.

" Um, am I intruding? He's your boyfriend right?" Sakura's eyes darted back to the man across from her and she frowned.

" No, he's not my boyfriend. Sorry, I guess I'm being terribly rude! My name's Sakura, I never got yours," she said quickly to cover her ranting mind. He smiled as she turned her full attention back to him and reached his hand over the table to grasp hers.

" I'm Nira," he said warmly.

" Lovely to meet you Nira."

" OI! SAKURA-CHAN!"

Sakura turned, her hand sliding from Nira's as Naruto, Sasuke, Ino and Shikamaru came to join them in their spacious booth. Sakura scooted closer to Nira as Ino and Shikamaru took a seat beside her, Naruto and Sasuke sitting across from them.

Sakura kept her eyes on Nira, not wanting to see the sneer she knew was crawling on Sasuke's face. Nira smiled down at her, taking her hand as she linked her arm through his.

" Everyone, this is Nira. Nira, this is Ino, Shikamaru, Naruto and, yeah," she said haughtily as her eyes came to rest on Sasuke. He shifted in his seat, seemingly unmoved by her lack of manners. She grinned maliciously and scooted closer to Nira as Ino struck up conversation and Sakura could see the vein in Sasuke's forehead throbbing as his eyes darted over to her every few seconds.

" So Nira, what is it you say you do with black ops? It's soo terribly fascinating," she said in a husky whisper, feeling Sasuke's eyes on her. All was lost on the others as Naruto tried to balance a shot glass on his head while Shikamaru and Ino took turns trying to make a basket with wads of napkins.

" Well, I- um, I'm a tactics specialist," he gulped as she sidled up to him, resting her hand on his thigh, the other tracing down his chest. Her low intense eyes lingered on his, her hair hung about her face in a pink curtain. Through her bangs she could see Sasuke fidgeting in his seat, arms crossed and a scowl replacing his sneer. Sakura couldn't help the bubble of pure joy at seeing him soo unhappy.

" Nira, that's fascinating, do you ever get time away, to do…other things," she whispered in his ear, but just loud enough for Sasuke to hear. The sound of tinkling glass interrupted her rampage on Sasuke and she looked over to see the shards of Naruto's shot glass all over the floor. She sighed and removed her hand from Nira's thigh and sat back in the booth as Ino shot her a look of warning.

Raising an eyebrow, Sakura turned to see a scantily dressed kunoichi press herself into the booth beside Sasuke, her flirty fingers playing in his hair. Sasuke caught her gaze quickly and with a huffy leer that would put her own to shame, wrapped an arm around the kunoichi's waste to draw her closer. Sakura stuck her nose in the air and turned back to Nira, cuddling up to him, her head resting on his shoulder.

" Well, well Sasuke. I haven't seen you in some time. Sure seems like its been too long, doesn't it," the kunoichi giggled while she pressed her chest up against his, her revealing shirt riding low. Sakura growled low in her throat at the thought of being beaten, Sasuke's stupid grin making her itch with anger.

" I have to use the rest room for a second," Sakura stated as she rose from her place beside Nira and stalked off to the restrooms down the hall. She made a quick look behind her to see Sasuke tuck a strand of hair behind the kunoichi's ear, his eyes lifting to watch her walk away. Sakura gripped her purse tightly and cursed herself for being too subtle.

If she was going to win one over on Sasuke, she would have to pull out all the stops. She quickly locked herself in the bathroom, spilling the contents of her purse out into the vacant sink. Taking a spare kunai, she ripped the lower hem of her dress at her upper thigh, leaving hardly anything to imagination as she pulled the dress down a bit over her smooth legs, reveling her cleavage more in doing so.

She ran her hand messily through her hair, giving herself a wild and exotic look. Finally, she smeared a generous amount of lip-gloss on her pouted lips before grinning at the mirror and shoving all her belongings back into her bag. She quickly looked over her lower half, removing her satchel and stuffing it into her purse before unlocking the door and walking back out to the table.

Her high heels clicked melodiously on the floor as she made her way back to her seat, her now shorter dress turning heads and earning her a few whistles. She stopped at the table, letting Sasuke and Nira take in her appearance, the kunoichi wrinkling her nose at Sakura's shapely long legs and wild pink hair.

" Sakura, my… you look…wow," Nira stuttered as Sasuke looked away, feeling the heat rise in his face. ' So that's what it's gunna take Sakura, for you to expose yourself,' he thought bitterly as Sakura slid into her seat. Sakura, nose in air, ran her fingers coolly through her hair as the staring match commenced between her and Sasuke. He could feel the corner of his mouth twitch as Sakura leaned forward, resting her chin on her hands.

" Something you wanted to say Sasuke?"

He scowled as she mocked him, her eyes narrowed, her lips in a twisted smile. She faked a gasp and dramatically lifted her hand to her chest.

" What! No witty comment from the stone cold Uchiha! It does seem appropriate for him to know when he's beat," she laughed, Sasuke growling. He turned to the kunoichi beside him, his eyes hard and set for the exit.

" Move."

" But Sasuke," she began, but his hand quickly shoved her out of the booth, leaving her standing bewildered as he brushed past her to the bars door. Sakura dropped her hand to the table with a thud, Naruto and the others looking over at the commotion.

" Oh no you don't Sasuke!"

Sakura quickly jumped up from the table and ran out after him, leaving the rest to watch in confusion. Nira was the first to speak.

" Um, what was that all about?"

" Damnit, can't they just stop for one night and get along!" Ino protested, sulking back in the booth.

_**Confrontation….**_

" No you don't Sasuke!"

Sakura's voice echoed in the still night air as Sasuke was caught standing in the middle of the moonlit street. The lights from the oil street lamps gave off an eerie glow and basked the two in an orange glow. Sakura approached angrily, her hand clinging to the side of her dress to keep it from exposing herself. Sasuke turned to face her, his dark eyes locked with her livid green pools. She stopped before him, her hair blowing calmly about her face.

" What! What the fuck was that about Sasuke?"

Her voice, normally calm, rose like the shriek of a harpy as she faced him down in the otherwise still night air. It took all she had not to simply smack him right then and there.

" What the hell are you talking about?"

A pain moved through her face as she gritted her teeth until they squeaked. Curling and uncurling her fingers, she fought back the urge again. Though it was fight she feared she was losing. And she knew how wonderful it would feel when she did lose that battle.

" That… that… skank kunoichi! You know damn well what I'm talking about Sasuke, you were playing the same game, and if you think I'm just going to let you walk away without soo much as a… "

" What? You're the one acting like a whore to get the upper hand. Don't think it's my fault your new boyfriend thinks you're easy! I mean, look at you! You make me sick. Don't act like you're jealous Sakura, its almost too convincing."

Sakura took his insult as a slap in the face as she staggered backwards, her eyes wide. He sighed and turned away from her. She could feel angry tears burn in her eyes.

" I-I'm not jealous…" she whispered angrily, her hair billowing out behind her as the breeze swirled around them, her tears ceasing. Sasuke chuckled, a sardonic tone in his deep laugh. She wiped at her eyes angrily as he tilted his head, waiting for a response of some kind, but she just stood and watched him.

" Come on Sakura, you had to have come out here for some other reason than to act like an envious fan-girl." She stood petrified with rage, tears welling up in her eyes as he ran his fingers smoothly through his ebony bangs calmly.

" I mean, after a performance like that, you have to have something better to say than " Oh shame on you Sasuke for touching that skank!" Ha, it was a good laugh to see how far you would go though, thanks for entertaining me tonight."

" I HATE YOU, BASTARD!"

Sasuke glared as Sakura quickly pushed past him, tears of rage rolling down her face, her black mascara running under her eyes. Sasuke could feel himself give into the urge to go after her, to scream in her face about how fucked she was to dangle that so easily in his face, but quickly refrained. He simply watched as she marched off down the street, her hand holding her dress in place, her pink hair billowed out behind her.

' I hate her too… for what she makes me. I hate her more than anyone.'

Author's Notes-

I'm really hoping that was good, I took some extra time to work out the Confrontation part of this chapter. For a while they sounded like a bickering married couple but I figured it out with some help from a good dA friend InspectorZenigata! Luvs to you for beta reading the last few paragraphs and giving some great input!

New chapter should be up soon, I have nothing new going on and man the ideas are coming easily for things to write on this!

Black


	2. Lines Are Meant To Be Crossed

♥Caricatures of Intimacy♥

Chapter 2-Lines Are Meant To Be Crossed

**_With life, there are always decisions to be made, but what happens when those decisions interfere with how you want to feel about something. Could choices change how you see someone and possibly alter how you wanted to see them in your mind? Sakura and Sasuke learn the hard way that sometimes you can't really choose who you fall in love with. It just happens._ **☼

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**Sakura's Journey…**

Sakura roused from under her blanket, her eyes red and puffy, her stomach feeling empty and her heart even more so. Last night's situation had gone farther than she had bargained for and she felt like drifting away from the white noise called her life. So much went spinning madly out of control that she could feel every last fiber of sanity slip from her. Depression was an understatement for how she was feeling on this particularly cloudy day.

" Somehow I had known he would call me a whore, but I never really expected him to say it so…seriously," she sighed, ruffling her tangled bed head. Her fingers caught the tied up ends and she pulled her hand from the mess. She had a feeling that today would be no better than last night.

She knew she and Sasuke hated each other, but she hadn't thought the rules of their loathsome relationship had changed. Something uncomfortable had taken place somewhere along the time of Sasuke entering the bar and the heated argument outside. Things were always mean and nasty, but something was hidden, she could feel it.

The next few days were going to be rather interesting. Why she even cared about the words that had come from his mouth, she was far from finding out, but she knew something brewed beneath her exterior. Something dark and forbidden, she just didn't know what.

**Sasuke's Journey…**

" What was she thinking? I don't care if I hurt her, but…," Sasuke groaned and let his head fall in his hands as he sat hunched over in his bed, his bare chest chilled in the morning air within his apartment. Everything with her was extreme or not, no in between, and her little performance last night, for whatever reason, was wearing on his tired mind.

" Why am I thinking about her? Of all people…" he sighed.

She had blatantly thrown out the fact that he was hitting on that stupid woman with him. She meant nothing to him and Sakura knew that, but for her to even mention it made her seem…jealous on some sort of standpoint. He had pointed it out to see some sort of rise out of Sakura…but to his dismay, she had just taken it. In fact, she had cried.

" There's no way she could…" he mumbled before letting his thoughts get the better of him. ' No, I hate her, she hates me, that's the way it's always been. She's a bitch for even thinking that she could take things that far. She always has to have the last say. Well at least I got to it before she did this time,' he thought finally, nodding his head while his anger took hold over his regret and confusion.

He reached over to the chair beside his bed and pulled his black Jonin shirt on before stepping into his shorts on the floor. He quickly ate then slipped his sandals on and looked briefly out the window. Rain threatened on the horizon and he sighed. Today was just one of those days, he could feel it.

**Meetings Of Sorts…**

Sakura turned the shiny silver handles and the water slowed, drenching her face to her feet before a steady drip commenced as the water was shut off. She wiped her face, clearing the water from her eyes before groping about for her towel.

Her fingers grazed over the soft fabric and she gripped it and immediately brought it to her face, drying her eyes to greet her tired face in the foggy mirror across from the shower. She wrapped the towel around her slim body and stepped out of the tub onto the cotton bath rug and sat down at the tub's edge.

She had a meeting to go to, she was sure she would be late though. Tsunade had something worth discussing and apparently needed Sakura there. She took the folded towel on the floor beside her and wrapped her hair neatly atop her head.

The shower had washed away some of her weariness, but her eyes cried out to be closed and resort back to pleasant dreams. But she had duties that required attention, and being all business, Sakura wasn't about to slip up in her more than perfect record at the ANBU headquarters.

Top of her class in Gen-Jutsu and one of the greater tactical minds next to Nara Shikamaru, she wasn't surprised her name came up often in the referred ninja book. She often times felt like Tsunade's lapdog, the way she was worked around the clock, constantly at beck and call.

She applied her make up quickly, noting to cover the rather dark circles under her eyes before leaving the bathroom.

Concern with the lack of ability with the Jonin around the ANBU headquarters was starting to become Tsunade's favorite topic. She could never have enough Jonin level ninja, young and fit with the best of talents. Sharp minds, quick reflexes, Kekkai Genkai. She was too fond of ninja with a good family background than with the ninja him/her self in some cases.

That's where Sakura came in. She was in charge of testing the Jonin to make sure they weren't slipping in older age or young at that. A yearly exam was held for the veterans, every 6 months for new recruits. Dull as her job was becoming, she always managed to score a winner to brighten her day every once in awhile.

She ran a hand through her slick wet hair, blow-drying it tediously with her fingers. Her short-sleeved Jonin shirt hugged her upper body, extending to her hips before her shorts covered her bottom half. Black was becoming her favorite color these days. She liked the contrast of her hair against the dark fabric.

She tied her satchel and leg wrappings tightly about her thigh before slipping into her knee high boots and grabbing a quick breakfast before scooping up her papers. Files of ninja examination turnouts were due to be turned in and Sakura had spent the last few weeks slaving over which ninja she might have to drop, if any. It was always hard to let one go, simply because of old age or inexperience. But ANBU was the best of the best, and there were no exceptions.

Well, that wasn't always the case. There was one such ninja that she had let stay on, although it had seemed he wasn't what he had been talked about as. The great fighter, number one as a rookie Genin.

He also had a huge chip on his shoulder due to his family status in Konoha. Powerful families meant a bigger influence over ol' Tsunade, and he was no exception. She scowled at the thought of the day she was forced to send him in to take his exams for a second time. That _never _happened.

Once should have been enough, but Tsunade had expected great things, and until she saw them, she wouldn't let him out of her sight. He was to be the greatest of the great, but unfortunately his attitude begged to differ.

His arrogant chatter and disrespect towards her and the other proctor for the exam was incredulous and thus she grew to hate him. For every 6 months he had to take that cursed exam, she was forced to endure his foul temper and harsh language.

And for reasons she couldn't fathom, she was sent to train him to use his Kekkai Genkai in a more effective way. Naturally, he was a sexist and convinced himself he wasn't in need of a female's help in his own bloodline trait.

That was until she kicked his ass after she overheard him calling her a dumb broad. He didn't take kindly to the awakening that he wasn't such hot stuff and from then on they hated each other.

Sakura stepped out the door, the apartment on her right opening at the same time to present a grouchy looking Sasuke. Sakura kept her eyes on her feet while she locked her door and quickly made for the ANBU headquarters building at the far end of Konoha without so much as a word to her neighbor. Sasuke paused briefly to watch her go. She was headed in the same direction he was aimed to go. He wondered what Tsunade had up her sleeve today.

He decided to beat Sakura to the headquarters to see what was going on and his gut instinct told him she would be walking the whole way rather than just transport herself there. He locked his door, stuffed his key in his pocket and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Sakura pulled her head back from the doorframe of the shop across from their apartments. So he thought he would get the upper hand did he, knowing she would walk due to the stress on her mind.

' Well, as usual Sasuke, the days activities have begun,' she mentally checked as she burst into cherry blossom petals and vanished from sight as the pink petals scattered across the ground.

She landed roughly atop the ANBU headquarters' roof and made for the roof's exit. Tsunade's office sat just below her feet, and knowing Sasuke's range of transporting himself, he would be just a few blocks away.

She made her way over to the door, taking the steps leading down to the 14th floor two at a time. She made it to Tsunade's office without anyone noticing her entrance and with a bright smile, opened the door.

" Well Sakura, looks like you're second to come in for the meeting today," Tsunade said from her tall chair behind the expansive oak desk. Scrolls littered its glossy surface along with numerous missing nin reports and what looked to be a half eaten sushi platter. Her eyes roamed the office and stopped at a chair before her desk, occupant seated comfortably with it's back to her.

She cautiously made her way to the chair beside it and took a seat. Naturally, of all people, it would be the one person she detested. To top it off, she wasn't sure she was ready to even speak to him on a business level yet after the occurrences last night. Sasuke smiled at her from his chair, a sneer more like it, and she settled back farther in her seat.

" Alright, now that we're all here," Tsunade said happily, standing up out of her chair and making her way to the front of the desk. She sat neatly on a bare spot upon the desk and her eyes scanned to two seated before her.

" I have an assignment for you both. This involves teamwork and some level of respect," she added, noticing the change in temperature since leaving her chair.

" Look, I know you don't exactly see eye to eye, but you need to get past all that. As I was saying, you two are to be placed together for training. Sakura, since Sasuke just passed his 6 month exam," she beamed over at Sasuke who nodded his thanks, " anyhow, since he just passed, I want to make sure his skills do not slip. Therefore you are in charge of his training until I see results."

Sakura could have fallen out of her chair or fainted in the least, but instead a giant O shaped her mouth and her eyes stared at Tsunade, never blinking.

" Y-you're not serious sensai, are you!"

" Well yes, I'm quite serious Sakura, and I wouldn't leave him to anyone else. You're the best I have!"

Sakura's face fell a bit and she slumped back into her chair. She would have been more enthusiastic at being called "the best", but somehow after finding out she was training Sasuke, it just didn't make up for it. Sasuke had a scowl upon his face that not only amplified his disappointment, but if looks could kill, Tsunade would be a pile of ashes.

" Alright, that's settled. Sasuke, you are to meet Sakura whenever she feels fit for a training session and since she is training you, please treat her with the proper respect a sensai would receive. And Sakura," Tsunade added, Sakura frowning even deeper.

" You are to make sure he improves. Make me proud to call you the best. If, for whatever reason, he shouldn't be ten times better by the next exam in 6 months, you will train together again and again until you work past you're personal problems and focus on the one's at hand."

Sakura groaned and nodded, Sasuke looking as though he had been plowed over by one of Tsunade's jutsus. She beamed at them and waved her hand.

" Now, now, I'm sure you want to go and schedule Sasuke's daily training, so scoot."

Sakura rose but paused as Sasuke made his way out the door. Tsunade's cocked her head as Sakura presented the files she brought with her.

" Are these the ninja results?"

Sakura nodded, still a bit fazed from recent news. Tsunade chuckled and set them upon her desk.

" Sakura, what's wrong with you today? You were here after the Uchiha, a first for arriving after anyone else. And you had a dour look about your face the second you walked in."

Sakura sighed and fell back into her chair.

" Tsunade, he hates me, I hate him. How the hell do you think I'll pull off training him?"

Tsunade laughed heartily and Sakura frowned.

" Sakura, believe it or not, I've hated everyone I've had to train, save you of course," she said as her face flushed in mock embarrassment. " But I never let that get in the way of doing my job. Remember that, although you may hate him, there are things about him that you don't know. He may be someone you may turn out to like. The time you have to spend together will be crucial, so make the best of it please."

" Yes sensai," Sakura said quietly before rising to leave.

" Oh and Sakura!"

She turned as Tsunade threw a pouch to her. " If things go awry, give him this," she said with a wink and Sakura nodded, forcing a sad smile.

Sakura left Tsunade's office in a worse mood than she woke up in. She was more than disappointed at having to waste time training Sasuke when she could be working and training herself.

" Why do these things happen to me!" she sighed as she walked out the front doors into the dreary day. Slight raindrops fell from over head as the rain shower began. Sakura groaned and her face fell even lower than it had been before.

" Just your luck, eh?"

Sakura turned around to see Sasuke leaning against the building. His face was expressionless and he pushed himself off the wall to walk towards her. Sakura accepted defeat and her dour eyes watched him as he came towards her slowly.

" So when are you going to start training me?"

Sakura just stared at him as the rain fell on them in the empty street, her hair flattening to her head as it soaked through. His hair hung limply in his face, giving him an even gloomier expression if possible.

" Whenever," she said nonchalantly as she wiped the trails of rain out of her face, sweeping her wet hair out of her face and back behind her ears. He watched her sloppy grooming and smirked.

" Well, how about now? You're not busy, so how about we go to the fields to practice tai-jutsu or something?"

For once Sakura could see a civil side to him and she smiled, although it still looked a bit like a frown.

" Alright. But we start with the basics."

Sasuke nodded and Sakura inwardly thanked Tsunade for ordering him to pay her some respect.

" So do you even know how to train someone, or is acting like Tsunade's slave the only thing you're good at?"

So much for that theory. Sakura groaned and narrowed her eyes at her "student" as he smiled over at her, a gleam in his eye. She silently cursed herself for even thinking the punk had a sense of respect. She politely smiled as her evil thoughts formed words in her mind.

" Sasuke, if there's anything I know how to do, it's teaching ingrates like yourself to be the best they can be. Unfortunately, your best might not be enough for ANBU. There's only soo much I can do with talent-less losers."

Sakura waved her hand carelessly, an evil grin spreading over her lips as Sasuke absorbed her words, his face darkening at her snide remark. His fist clenched in annoyance and she could feel his anger emanating off of his body.

' Hehe, I'm so bad,' she chuckled to herself as she watched Sasuke try to restrain himself. Well, she shouldn't just stop there. If she was going to poke and prod him, she might as well do it to her heart's content.

" Now, now, Sasuke. Don't feel discouraged if you can't perform up to par! I mean, I have weeks to train you to at least do as well as a circus monkey. Don't fret!"

By this time she was holding back tears of laughter as she watched him twitch. He glanced over and something murderous flashed in his eyes. She faked a gasp and kept walking, picking up her pace to gain the lead on him.

Turning around, she traipsed backwards while she taunted him.

" Sasuke, really. You shouldn't treat your _sensai_ with such disrespect. When I tell you how pathetic and helpless you are, I expect you to take it in stride! Not everyone can be as big a failure as you! That's accomplishment all on its own!"

At this point she couldn't help but let out her laughter. She turned and clutched her sides as her laughter rang through the surrounding fields, tears of happiness slipping from the corners of her eyes.

" Oh goodness, Ahaha!"

Sasuke grinded his teeth as he watched her laugh at his humiliation. His face was stained a bright red and he could feel his blood boil. It was one thing for her to be training him, but for her to rub in his face that he had failed to meet standards once before was pushing it.

" Okay, okay. Woo, I needed that," Sakura sighed as she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. " I mean, it's not everyday I have the Great Sasuke Uchiha as my puppet, I mean student!" She finished off her giggling before turning to him, her feet planted in the center of a large meadow.

" Okay Sasu-" WHAM!

Sasuke's fist met Sakura's face with such force it sent her flying through the air. Sakura had just enough time to recover from his blow to catch herself and land skillfully on her feet.

Her hand rubbed her face where his fist had made contact and she could feel her jaw move in and out of the joint. Her eyes lifted and narrowed at him and he stuck his nose in the air, a sneer of victory on his face.

" You're going to regret that, bastard," she growled as she forced healing chakra to her jaw and she could feel the tingling of her jaw being repaired. Her fingers tested the joint before she smiled wickedly.

" Cheep shots will get you 3 hours of stamina training, Sasuke. I hope you're prepared for your punishment."

Before he could blink, she was gone in a flurry of Sakura petals. The rain had picked up considerably and now the warm earth emanated steam as the cool rain evaporated on its surface. He turned a full circle, the mist around him making it hard to detect where she might have disappeared.

" Now Sasuke, when you pick a fight, I expect you to give it your all. If you're holding back, I'll make you work like the dog you are."

Sakura's voice echoed through the clearing. Sasuke tried to pinpoint the location it originated from but instead, he felt a strange sensation at his neck. Before he knew it, he was pinned to the ground, a kunai against his jugular, his feet and hands pinned skillfully to the ground by Sakura's knees and legs.

She scowled at him from her seat on his chest, her firm grip holding the kunai against his flesh. His wide eyes narrowed as he realized he had been beaten again.

" You still have soo much to learn Sasuke. Did you really think you could beat me this time?"

Her voice held no mockery, just the truth.

" I…" " You what Sasuke?" The kunai dug deeper into his skin and he hissed as the sharp metal pierced his flesh, a trickle of blood sliding down his neck.

" I thought…maybe this time I was strong enough," he confessed and she released him, rising off his body to sit beside him. Sasuke sat up and frowned as he watched the mist climb from the grass around them. Sakura watched him closely, feeling a bit ashamed for her words earlier.

" Sasuke, you still have much to learn. Why are you soo impatient with yourself?"

" It doesn't matter."

Sasuke stood and walked away from her, his body language showing his deep shame at yet another defeat. Sakura struggled whether to get up and follow him or stay where she was.

" Where are you going Sasuke? I thought you wanted to train!"

" I don't care. Why waste your time, right…"

She watched his shadowed form vanish from sight as he wandered into the mist. Was she wrong to taunt him like she did? She knew his self-loathing ran deep and hurt him badly.

' I just wanted payback for what he had said to me last night. Did I go too far?' she wondered as she rose from the rain soaked ground, her clothes clinging to her body.

" I'm… sorry Sasuke," she sighed as she walked off in the opposite direction towards her apartment.

* * *

**Author Notes:**

**DAG!** I actually managed to update at a resonable time WOOO!

ehehe so yeah you see some of the softer side of the screwed relationship...Sakura feels like a bitch...Sasuke's a weepy girl **POUT MUCH **ehehe anyways I hope you all enjoyed and next chappy will be up soon!

;3 luv

Black


	3. Leafing Through The Pages

**♥Caricatures of Intimacy♥**

Chapter 3: Leafing Through The Pages

**_With life, there are always decisions to be made, but what happens when those decisions interfere with how you want to feel about something. Could choices change how you see someone and possibly alter how you wanted to see them in your mind? Sakura and Sasuke learn the hard way that sometimes you can't really choose who you fall in love with. It just happens._ **☼

* * *

_**Sorry…**_

It had been a few hours since the rain had stopped. Sakura felt lower than she had expected after her fight with Sasuke and the exchange of uncomfortable words. No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't get over the fact that she was feeling bad.

For him.

" There's always a fine line I cross," she said, scolding herself for being such a fool. Tsunade's word stuck in the back of her mind like an unpleasant reminder.

"…_Remember that, although you may hate him, there are things about him that you don't know. He may be someone you may turn out to like. The time you have to spend together will be crucial, so make the best of it please."_

Already she was blowing her chance to train him right and get it over with. If she was going to pass the next six months of teaching Sasuke to better himself as a ninja, she had to suck up her pride and be positively passive.

" God, this is going to be harder than I thought," she sighed as she settled farther back into her couch, cupping the hot mug in her fingers. She wasn't one to let things go. She pathetically clung to insults, injuries, words that other said about her, good or bad.

In her own way, she was hoping to get something out of training Sasuke. If she could learn to brush off whatever he said to her in the next six months, she was sure she would get over her self-consciousness and learn to accept what others thought of her.

She straightened up as she heard the door beside her apartment slam close. Sasuke was home. She bit her lip, debating whether to go over and talk things through with him or stay planted in her couch and ignore her absurd sympathy towards him.

" Man, I can't believe I'm going to do this… but if I have to spend till February with him, I might as well eliminate the bad and start new."

She set her cup down on the coffee table and made her way to the door, wrapping herself in her coat before opening the door to let in the chilly rain air. She closed her door behind her quietly before taking the short walk to the neighboring steps. She let her fingers trace unconsciously over the bright white 3 on the door before it was pulled open.

She gasped and stepped back as Sasuke stepped into the entrance to the apartment. She quickly recovered from her shock and smiled weakly. His grim face remained stoic as she wrung her hands, finding the situation to be nothing like she had imagined. He had actually smiled back in her fantasy situation.

" Are you going to stand there like an idiot, or do you want to come in," he said coolly as he moved aside, the warmth from his apartment beckoning her into its depths.

" Uh yeah, thanks," she muttered before sweeping past him. Her eyes scanned the amazingly neat front room, adorned with Zen candles and a small bamboo fountain in the corner, a mat set before it. It was serene in his home, peaceful and inviting.

The soft scent of sandalwood drifted through the room and she spotted incense burning on the small table beside a futon couch.

" Sit where you like. I'll go get some tea."

He brushed past her and disappeared into what she assumed to be the kitchen. She removed her coat and slung it over her arm before taking a seat, her eyes still roaming the room. Numerous paintings of Sakura blossom trees lined the walls along with small frames of traditional koi fish.

If she were to sum up his home with one word, it would have to be beautiful. She never thought Sasuke to be the type to have such a neat and well-furnished home, but she knew she was dead wrong on that assumption.

Sasuke returned with two mugs filled with what smelled like green tea and she eagerly accepted it. He sat opposite her in a black leather chair and watched her carefully as her jade eyes danced about the apartment.

" Your home is very lovely, Sasuke. I would have never expected!"

She beamed at him from her mug before sipping its tepid contents, instantly feeling warmer. He shrugged and continued to drink his tea in silence. In the back of her mind, Sakura remembered her reason for visiting.

" Oh yes… I bet you're wondering why I'm here," she stated offhandedly, a blush creeping into her face. He grunted his usual " hn" and she shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

" I wanted to tell you…how, um, well," she started to stutter and knew this was going to be harder than she thought.

" W-what I'm trying to say is, I'm sorry for earlier."

She inwardly relaxed and wiped the invisible nervous bead of sweat from her forehead. Sasuke kept his eyes locked with hers, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. He was enjoying every bit of this.

" I never should have said those awful things to you and just because I'm your trainer, it doesn't mean I have the right to treat you the way I did. I hope we can put this all behind us and be civil while I train you?"

Sakura nervously smiled as he seemed to calculate her words carefully.

" Sakura?"

" Yes Sasuke?"

" I guess… I suppose I'm sorry too."

He looked away, knowing a big dopey smile would spring to her face and he would have to endure looking at her lose it over his apology.

" Wow Sasuke, I don't think I've ever heard you sound so sincere. Thank you," she said beaming.

" Whatever," he said coolly, trying to look uncaring as she smiled over at him. " So when should we train next?"

" Oh, well, whenever you feel up to it," she said as she stood, pulling her coat back on.

Sasuke set his cup down and rose quickly.

" Are you going?"

" Uh, yeah?" Sakura raised an eyebrow at the Uchiha and watched as he seemed to be having a bit of an inner struggle to say something.

" Well, how about we train tomorrow, or something," Sasuke said calmly, trying to seem indifferent about her departure.

" Sure, that sounds great. I should be out at the fields tomorrow anyway, so stop by when you want to train okay?"

He shrugged and Sakura giggled. For the first time, they were actually getting along.

" Alright, I'll see you later."

Sakura made towards the door, Sasuke opening it for her. She nodded politely before walking back over to her apartment. Sasuke leaned against his doorframe, watching her enter her apartment. She waved before snapping the door shut behind her.

He sighed and walked back inside, sealing off the warm air's escape and locking it behind him.

' What was that, just then? Why did I react so strangely to her leaving. It's not like I wanted her to stay. She's bothersome,' he thought, confused at his earlier actions. Something strange was at work, he just knew it.

_**Waking Up…**_

Sasuke shuffled from underneath his duvet. He tossed over onto his side, wanting to fall back asleep, but finding he was too anxious about other things. He was somewhat curious about what Sakura would be teaching him today. He would never admit he was happy she was the one teaching him.

He pulled his covers over his head to block out the light from the window above his bed, the sun's rays spilled out over his body. He shut his eyes, trying to fall back into a light slumber, but flashes of last night kept running through his head.

" _Are you going?"_

" _Uh, yeah?" Sakura raised her eyebrow and he could feel himself instantly regret even reacting to her departure._

" God, I probably sounded like and idiot…"

He shoved the covers off his body and rolled onto his back, staring up at the ceiling. She didn't seem so bad, now that they were trying to work things out. It wasn't as though she was unattractive, or dull as a rock. He just wondered how much more he would be thinking about her as the weeks drug on.

He shook his head and sat up. She wasn't that great, she was just some stupid girl that had to train him. That was it. End of story. He decided he needed a shower to clear his head before he started his day of training.

_**Training at the Fields…**_

Sakura sat quietly, her Jonin shirt itching her more than usual. She scratched at her side as she shifted position, her book in one hand, her other hand trying to reach a particularly itchy spot on her back.

" Ug, itchy," she groaned as she rubbed her back up against the tree she leaned against.

" Ah that's better," she sighed as she opened her book back up, picking up on the last line.

_Michiyo rested her forehead against the shower wall, the water pouring over her exhausted body. She knew she was in love with him. She just didn't want to be._

" _I hate him. With all my soul I want to hate him, but some part of me says no. Why! Why do I have to love that fool," she sighed, her mind running rampant with their heated kiss the night they argued. His lips had been so warm, hers soo cold from the night air._

Sakura closed her eyes. Why did that remind her soo much of herself? She wasn't in love, she knew that. But something about the hate that Michiyo felt for this man, it was familiar.

" Sakura?"

She lifted her jade eyes from her book to look up into Sasuke's face, curiosity written on his features.

" Oh, sorry Sasuke, I was thinking," she confessed, closing her book and tucking it neatly in her satchel. Sasuke watched her store the book away quickly, its dark cover and bright writing catching his eye.

" What were you reading?"

Sakura flushed scarlet.

" Oh nothing, just some book I got from a friend," she said casually, although her face burned from embarrassment. Sasuke cocked his head at her weird reaction, but shrugged it off as a 'woman thing'.

" So what are you teaching me today?

Sakura cleared her throat and led him to the center of the field, away from distraction.

" We're going to meditate," she stated. Sasuke scratched his head.

" Um, you said meditate? Why would we do that? Why not jutsu training or stamina building?"

Sakura smiled and interlaced her fingers in front of her.

" Because you have to have the right balance of spirit and body to perform your jutsu at its best!"

Sasuke watched as she crossed her legs and sat down in the grass. Her eyes closed in deep concentration and her hands formed slow seals before her.

" When you use a jutsu, you want to make sure you don't expend too much of your chakra as compared to your stamina. In order to ensure you get the right mix, you have to have the perfect balance of spirit energy in your chakra."

Sakura cracked an eye open to glance up at him. " If you master this, no jutsu will be too difficult, and no amount of chakra usage should tire you too easily," she added, seeing his hesitation.

" Thus, if you want to generate more powerful jutsus, meditation with an even flow of chakra with hand seals will enable you to do so, understand?"

" Uh, yeah," Sasuke muttered as he sat down across from her. He tried hard not to look like an idiot while copying her hand signs.

" How much chakra do I use?"

Sakura giggled. " The key is to feel. You'll know how much to use if you're really paying attention to your body."

Sasuke frowned. So far he felt nothing. He opened his eyes to watch Sakura slowly generate a small orb of sea-green chakra. She did it soo easily. He began to feel the doubt and disappointment come back. His eyes watched his hands, waiting for something to happen.

" Sasuke… don't feel discouraged," Sakura's soft voice filled his ears and her hands came into sight and held his. " Try concentrating your chakra to your hands. Generate enough to keep mine connected to yours," she encouraged.

Sasuke obeyed and instantly fed chakra to his hands, the blue hue surrounding and capturing Sakura's hands in its grasp.

" Good. Now try forcing the chakra to form on it's own, without attachment to any part of you."

Sasuke shut his eyes tight in concentration as Sakura instructed him.

" Try to force your chakra carefully into my hands."

She watched carefully as he bit his lip, trying to focus on moving his chakra from his body to her hands. The blue hue stretched forward to her cupped hands, trying to make contact, but began inching away as Sasuke's strength was depleted.

His hands fell to the ground and he opened his eyes, his breath shallow. She smiled. He was catching on quicker than she thought he would.

" That was great Sasuke! You're doing much better than the others I've taught! I think you'll have the hang of this in a matter of weeks!"

He smiled weakly up at her before he tunneled out and everything went black. Sakura caught his muscular frame as he fell forward, passed out. ' He must have drained almost all of his chakra to do that.' She swiftly picked him up and carried him over her shoulder as she made her way back to their apartments.

She reached Sasuke's doorstep and carefully let him off her shoulder, supporting him with her free arm. Her eyes dropped to the locked door and she sighed. Her eyes instantly went to Sasuke's right pocket.

" Sorry about this," she apologized ahead of time before reaching into his pocket to remove a small silver key. She fit it into the lock and with a small click, she pushed the door open and carried Sasuke inside.

Laying him down on the futon, she set out around his apartment to familiarize herself with where everything was located. She reached a door at the end of a hall that opened into Sasuke's bedroom. She felt heat creep from her chest to her face as she stood at the foot of his unmade bed.

It was a bit awkward to be standing in his bedroom. She had never been in a man's bedroom before. She silently thank god Sasuke was passed out in the other room.

" Sorry again," she whispered as she tugged a top blanket from the bed and made to turn.

" Sorry for what?"

She screamed but instantly felt Sasuke's hand wrap around her, covering her mouth.

" Sakura, calm down, it's just me," he whispered into her ear. Sakura stopped struggling against his hand and felt herself go limp from fright.

" Sasuke, you scared the shit out of me, for god's sake!" she sighed as she sat down on the corner of the bed, her heart racing. Her hand went to her chest, feeling her rampant pulse beneath her fingertips. Her jade gaze met Sasuke's dark eyes and she smiled faintly.

" Good to see you're okay," she said happily, rising off his bed. He watched her intently as she stood a mere foot from him.

' It's happening again, that feeling,' he thought, struggling not to break eye contact with her. Her deep emerald eyes sparkled with the low glow from lighting in the room, her lips gleaming with a shimmer of gloss.

" Sasuke? Are you sure you're well enough to be walking around?"

Sakura reached forward to feel his forehead with her soft hand. His temperature seemed normal, but just in case…

Sakura reached into her pocket to pull out two small blue pills. Sasuke looked at them apprehensively as she held them out to him.

" What? They're sleeping pills. They'll replenish your stamina and chakra levels and you'll have peaceful dreams! I made them myself," she urged. Sasuke hesitated, but took them from her anyway.

" And what about the side effects?" He didn't want to wake up with a bad rash or and extra arm.

" None, as far as I know. I used them when Tsunade was training me to make sure I was top notch everyday for training. They never failed me before!"

Sakura beamed at him, almost too malevolently. Sasuke smiled weakly before heading off to the kitchen, Sakura in toe. He filled a glass with water and with a moment of " this is probably poison she gave me" he set the pills in his mouth and downed them with the water.

Almost instantly, he felt the drowsiness overcome him and his vision started to blur. All he could see were Sakura's bright eyes a few inches from his face.

" Don't worry, by morning, you'll feel great," he could hear her say before all went dark and he drifted off to sleep.

Sakura caught Sasuke easily in her outstretched arms and his face fell to her chest. 'He looks so peaceful when he isn't glaring or scowling,' she thought, giggling aloud as she carried his unconscious body to his bed.

She lifted him gently onto the mattress, removing his sandals and satchel before pulling the covers snugly over his body. She smiled down at him as he tossed over onto his side, mumbling in his dreams.

" Goodnight, Sasuke. I'll be seeing you tomorrow," she whispered as she backed out the room.

" Sakura…"

Sakura paused to see him roll back onto his back, his eyes still closed. " He must be dreaming…"

' …about me.'

Sakura watched him smile, a smile she had never seen before. It made her both nervous and somewhere deep down happy and curious. " What could he be dreaming about?"

She silently left, slipping out the door, locking it carefully behind her. Meanwhile, Sasuke dream took the shape of a woman. Her radiant pink hair billowed on the spring breeze, her short-skirted summer dress hugging her curves closely. Her sea green eyes shimmered as she looked at him, her cherry lips calling his name.

" Sakura…"

_**Making Plans…**_

Sakura walked slowly through the deserted Konoha streets, a cinnamon roll in hand, her fingers sticky with frosting. She looked through the windows of the small boutiques lining the street while munching happily on her sugary breakfast.

' Sasuke should be waking up about now, maybe I should go stop in to see if he wants to train,' she wondered as she licked the frosting thoughtfully from her fingers. Sasuke on the brain, Sakura headed towards their adjoined apartment building.

She turned up a street leading back in the direction of her apartment and she hummed a little tune to herself. Strangely enough, the streets were bare today. Not that she minded. But Konoha was usually bustling with street merchants and people out for a day in the town.

" Hn, maybe they all went on vacation," she giggled as she made for a shortcut down an alley. Her footsteps echoed up along the walls, the sun peering at her through the cloth lines above. There was something about living in this village that put a joy in her heart. It was one in a million.

" Nice day for a walk, eh pretty lady?"

Sakura raised an eyebrow and turned on her heal to face a rough looking pair of men. One held a knife tightly in his large fist, the other, a thick chain in his scrawny paws. Sakura continued cleaning off her fingers with her tongue as they advanced.

" So what's a pretty little thing like you doing out here all alone?" the bigger man with the knife coed as he circled her, his scummy fingers running through her hair as he walked around her. Sakura stifled a laugh and continued to eat her cinnamon roll as the two men sniffed around her.

" What's funny babe?" the second man queried, his mouth spreading in a toothless smile. Sakura cringed a bit at the man's appearance. The larger man brushed past her again, this time a bit closer, his hand brushing her hind side a bit too much for her liking.

" What can I do for you gentlemen today," she said with a smile, humoring the situation. Had she been dressed in her ANBU uniform, she doubted they would have even had the guts to approach her. But since she wasn't, it was time for her to have a little fun.

" I think you know what we want, lady," the scrawny man chuckled, coming close enough to sniff her long locks hang over her breast. Sakura leapt backwards, twirling neatly in the air before landing in a crouch.

" Sorry to spoil your plans men, but I have somewhere I need to be. And what you have in mind isn't exactly friendly with my schedule," she replied with a smile and turned to walk back in the direction of Sasuke's apartment. The two men grunted angrily, not about to let their chance to potentially have their way with her slip away.

" Hey bitch, did we say you could go somewhere?" The large man lunged for her, but she quickly ducked and swept her leg cleanly behind his knees. He crashed to the ground, his jaw shattering against the hard dirt. The smaller man took his chance as she stood and slung the chain over her head, pulling her against him by her throat.

" I'ma make this nice and painful for you, cunt," he growled into her ear, his breath reeking of sake. Sakura faked a gasp of air, his hands tightening the chain around her neck. Sakura built up her chakra in her hands, waiting for the right time to strike.

Suddenly, the man went stiff, the chain falling away from her throat and snaking up on the ground by her feet. She moved forward, turning on her toes to see Sasuke with his hand clenched around the man's neck from behind. His beady little eyes bugged as he was lifted off the ground.

" What were you doing to her?"

Sakura watched, clearly taken aback by Sasuke's defensiveness. His eyes gleamed with anger and his fingers tightened even further into the man's flesh. Sakura raised her hand to her face, a bit shaken by Sasuke's harshness. He growled and shook the man harshly.

" Talk you bastard! What were you doing to her!"

" W-we ain't done n-nothing," the man choked out, his hands clawing at Sasuke's fingers around his windpipe. Sasuke violently threw him to the ground, the man skidding to a stop at Sakura's feet. His eyes widened in terror as Sasuke advanced on him.

" If I EVER catch you two harassing her again, I will not hesitate to kill you," he hissed low. The man nodded fearfully, grabbing the chain from the ground and scurrying past his friend and out of the alleyway. Sasuke watched him go, his eyes cold and narrowed.

" Sasuke…"

" Come on, it's not safe around here," he said bluntly, grabbing her wrist and dragging her out into the open street. Sakura pulled her hand free from his grasp and he turned to face her. She knitted her eyebrows and stared at him, his calm eyes staring back.

" I could have handled myself back there, I don't need you to rescue me," she stated harshly. Sasuke's eye twitched in anger.

" Rescue? Fuck if I'm about to rescue your unthankful ass. I wanted to make a point to that scummy little bastard. But soo sorry if you want to play around while those men try to rape you."

Sakura turned away, her arms folded over her chest. " I didn't need your damn help."

Sasuke sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose in annoyance. Sakura remained glued to the spot, her nose in the air. Normally he would bite the bait and add a few colorful words to piss her off, but for some reason, he just wanted her to understand him.

" I'm not going to argue with you Sakura. But try to be a little more grateful when people look out for you, why don't you," he sighed. Sakura tilted her head to the side, looking at him sideways. She could see the sincerity on his face and she turned, dropping her hands to her sides.

" You were trying to protect me?"

" It's not a big deal, don't go getting all mushy over it," he said coolly. Sakura smiled.

" Thank you Sasuke," she said softly, pulling him into her embrace. Sasuke felt his face light up about three shades of red before pulling away.

" H-hey, come on, stop that will you," he growled, trying his best to sound annoyed. Sakura laughed as he looked away.

" It's just a hug Sasuke, geeze. Before this turns into a moment, let's get you started with training again, " she exclaimed, pushing him around to march him off to the field, her spirits high.

" We have just enough daylight to try that jutsu over and over and over till you get it," Sakura chuckled, Sasuke groaning, already thinking of the " meditation" he would have to endure.

* * *

**Author Notes: **

Oh goodness this is getting hard to write. . I mean, DAMMIT… I wanna make Sakura glomp Sasuke and all that good stuff. But ALAS not yet. That's a bit of a way off! I'ma bring back Nira, the dood from the bar that Sakura was all over, cuz he seems like a good distraction. Here's what I'm thinking

**Nira-sama:** "Hey Sakura! Haven't seen you since the night at the bar! How bout we go out on a date?"

**Saku-chan:** " …" **twitch**

**Sasu-kun:** GROAR! on the inside of course, he's too cool to say anything

Awkward moment of Sakura looking at Sasuke, vice versa.

BUT! They aren't like, you know **wink wink** Ahaha so it works! She accepts, pisses Sasuke off and then… THE BIG KISS SCENE! But that's like chapter . Erm how bout chapter 8 YAY!

Got to build that sexual tension you know!

Black


	4. Not Soo Glamorous

**♥Caricatures of Intimacy♥**

Chapter 4: Not Soo Glamorous

**_With life, there are always decisions to be made, but what happens when those decisions interfere with how you want to feel about something. Could choices change how you see someone and possibly alter how you wanted to see them in your mind? Sakura and Sasuke learn the hard way that sometimes you can't really choose who you fall in love with. It just happens._ **☼

_**Weeks Passing…**_

"NO! DAMNIT, DON'T YOU FUCKING LISTEN! I'm telling YOU," Sakura poked Sasuke fiercely in the chest, his skin instantly flaring in a bruise, " that YOU are NOT going to enter that skills competition!"

" WHO SAYS, YOU? I'LL DO WHAT I FUCKING WANT!"

Sakura's vein at her temple throbbed painfully and she clenched her fist. Only 2 weeks of training peacefully and the fighting had commenced yet again. Somehow it didn't surprise either of them.

" As your trainer, I REFUSE, you hear me, REFUSE to let you sign up for that. You're not ready for it Sasuke!"

" Who says I'm not ready, some stupid woman teaching me how to sit and make COMPLETELY USELESS seals in "meditation"?" Sasuke shouted back, their faces mere inches apart. Sakura was furious.

A tick had started to develop in her left eye and every time her voice rose, her eye would twitch angrily.

" USELESS? Excuse me, who can't beat a girl? Oh right, YOU! You'll do as I say Sasuke. There are extremely talented Jonin in this competition. You'll be murdered!"

Sasuke turned his back on her, his scowl embedded on his face. She just had to bring up the fact that, even though he could now produce a marble sized orb of blue chakra in his hands, he still failed to pin Sakura in their sparing sessions.

" I'm not discussing this any longer with you, I'll do what I WANT when I WANT! I'm not some child you can order around. You're not in charge of me, you just train me. NOTHING MORE!"

Sakura huffily pulled out the sack that Tsunade had given her three weeks ago when she declared Sakura in charge of Sasuke's training. Sasuke's retreating back grew further in distance, but Sakura knew she could make the shot. He was NOT going to that skills competition today, not while she was around.

She pulled a dart filled with deep ruby liquid out of the velvet interior and aimed it at the back of his neck. Pushing a small amount of chakra to her fingertips, the needle shot at him with amazing speed, planting itself deeply into his skin. Sakura frowned.

Missed.

Sasuke instantly burst into a thick cloud of smoke, the aftermath, a log with an embedded needle in its center. Sakura shook her head, a small smile on her lips as she felt two arms snake tightly around her waist, a hand holding a kunai to her right cheek.

" You've gotten faster, Sasuke," she whispered, turning her face to feel his hot breath fan over her cheek.

His face flared a gentle pink at the intensity in her low eyes. He released her and backed away slowly, apprehension in his confused dark orbs.

" Don't think you're the only one who can play games, Sasuke," Sakura said huskily, walking forward, her fingers playing with the zipper on her Jonin vest. She tugged it inch-by-inch, revealing more skin each time.

By now Sasuke was stuttering.

" Sa-Sakura, wh-what are you d-doing?" His feet kept shuffling backwards, catching on small clumps of grass and making him flail.

Her delicate pink nails pulled the zipper breathtakingly slowly down her chest, her cleavage now visible between the ridges of her Jonin vest.

Sasuke's eyes widened, his face looking away in embarrassment. He was at a loss. His mind was now clouded with confusion, curiosity and just a small trace of want. Sakura giggled seductively.

" What Sasuke, you don't want me?"

She was testing him, that's what it was. Sasuke felt his back hit something hard and he was trapped. His fingers groped the tall trunk of a cherry blossom tree he now found himself pinned against by Sakura's approaching form, her tongue sliding out over her lips.

He felt himself swallow hard, but he kept a placid face. If he was nervous, it sure didn't show. Sakura stopped a mere foot from him, looking him head to toe.

" What to do, what to do," she hummed, tapping her foot, as she rested her hand on her hip, her other playing in her pink locks. Sasuke scowled, deciding he should speak up rather than be taken advantage of without control.

" Whatever you're doing Sakura, it won't work on me. I know your games," he stated boldly, but it came out as more of a gruff squeak than anything. Sakura tried to hide her laugher, but chuckled anyway.

" I'm just fulfilling your dream Sasuke. The one you had of me a few weeks ago. Don't you remember how you called my name out," she teased, coming closer to close the gap between their bodies. She presses against him, her face coming closer by the second.

" I never-"

" Don't lie to me Sasuke," she coed, her lips now barely touching his. He felt his blood rise to his face. Her lips caressed his as she spoke in a hushed voice, her delicate breathe fanning against his lips.

" Don't tell me you didn't have that dream Sasuke, I heard you call for me. Isn't this what you wanted?"

Sasuke blinked slowly, finding it harder to focus with her lips touching his, not nearly a kiss, but close enough. His eyes hesitated to rise to meet hers and somehow he fought the urge to take her lips with his.

" Losing your grip, Sasuke?" she murmured, her lips pressing a bit more against his. He was now completely unaware of anything around him. His eyes remained locked with hers, seeing who would break first.

Unfortunately for him, Sakura's more than welcome fingers teased his hair gently and he couldn't stop himself.

He leaned forward to take her lips, his hands wrapping around her, but in that moment, she vanished into a million tiny pink petals that billowed over his lips and body.

His eyes opened in surprise and he blink a few times to look up and see Sakura a few feet away. Her eyes read confusion, just as his did.

" I-It was gen-jutsu…" she muttered, feeling a bit taken aback by Sasuke's actions. She was sure he would have seen through it or fought her off. But he had actually tried to kiss her. Sakura watched the dark boy with a newfound wonder.

Was it just the lure of a woman's lips on his, or did he intend to kiss _her_?

" I… don't know what to say," she whispered, looking at her feet to hide her uncomfort in the silence passing between them. Sasuke merely contemplated how he was going to vanish before he became overwhelmed with humiliation.

He knew Sakura was a master Jonin at Gen-Jutsu, that's why he was assigned to her. He wanted to learn all about the special technique and how the mind worked. But he never thought he would be fooled himself.

And in such a way at that.

" Sasuke, I'm sorry, I didn't know you felt…"

" It's fine, we're done for today anyway. I'll find you when I want to train again," he said abruptly, not wanting her to say it. If she said it, it would only confirm his fears. He quickly burst into smoke, disappearing as he had wished.

Sakura merely fell to butt, her mind racing. ' If Sasuke tried to kiss an imitation of me, without knowing it was gen-jutsu… does that mean…," Sakura thought, trying to make sense of the already confusing relationship they had.

She knew they went from hating to each other, to a mildly more sociable understanding of one another. But she wasn't sure where it would be heading now.

She got to her feet after a few moments of clearing her mind. She knew one thing. Sasuke would be way too distracted to go and participate in the skills competition now.

_**What Makes Sense…**_

Sasuke sat alone in his apartment, cross-legged at the mat in front of the bamboo fountain. The soothing sound of water was helping him to relax and think. Outside, rain thudded on the roof, creating a clam atmosphere for him to meditate in.

A wisp of chilly air struck his bare chest and he cracked an eye open, looking over to see his door standing wide open, the cold night air drifting in. He raised an eyebrow, knowing full well the door had been shut tightly earlier.

He stood with a sigh and went briskly over to shut it. As soon as his hand gripped the knob, Sakura was there, appearing out of nowhere.

Sasuke stepped back, slightly startled by her entrance, but recovered quickly by knitting his brows and staring at her with cold eyes.

" What do you want?"

Sakura winced at his harsh tones but her sad eyes pleaded with him.

" Sasuke… I want to talk," she said quietly, afraid to upset him further. Apparently by his reaction, he was still upset about earlier.

She wrapped her coat around her neck with her hand as a cold wind blew about her, her wet hair sticking to the side of her face.

'**Even rampaged by the outside rain and wind, she's still beautiful**,' he thought.

' **No, shut up, she's not even that pretty, just keep your sick thoughts about her to yourself**,' he responded to his thought viciously.

Sakura tried her best not to look at his lean, muscular frame, but her eyes would dart from his to his bare chest every once in awhile as they stood in silence in his doorway. She wouldn't deny it, Sasuke was very handsome. Now if only he had an attitude adjustment.

' **Come on Sasuke, just say it. Sakura, I think yo-**'

" Come in before you freeze your ass off," he said bluntly, interrupting his hormonal thoughts and letting her slip past him into his warm apartment. She smiled as she sat in his comfy couch, shrugging off her coat. The hot air from his apartment teased her chilled skin and she shivered a bit.

" Don't tell me you're getting sick."

Sakura looked up to see Sasuke holding out a blanket for her and she smiled weakly before wrapping it around her shoulders.

" No I'm fine, the wind and rain don't bother me," she said, trying to sound friendly as he watched her. She nervously picked at the hem of her shorts while he sat across from her, his onyx gaze never leaving her.

' **Just say it Sakura, come on, it's no big deal. You both are adults," **her inner self argued as she stared back into his deep dark eyes.

' **You'd think so wouldn't you, but I'm too afraid of what the answer might be,' **she protested.

' **Just ask him, then you'll know if he really li-' **

' **No! Not Sasuke. He would never. Just hush,' **she demanded, feeling her face grow hot from where her inner dialog was headed.

'**You're afraid, aren't you, to know that he might have feelings for you?' **

Sakura's heart raced. She had to know.

" Sasuke, what happened?"

Sakura sat back, her eyes wide. Did she really just blurt that out? She covered her mouth in shock with her fingertips, wondering if he would snap at her. He just stared right back at her, his focus never wavering.

" I just wanted to see what you would do," he replied simply, as though it were no big deal. Sakura nodded, confused on the inside but kept the façade of understanding.

" I thought you might have seen through it," she said happily.

" Hn."

Sakura adverted her eyes, noticing he seemed to recognize her nervous habit of picking at the hem of her shorts and she rose to leave. She had to get away from him before she said anything else.

" Meet me at the spring tomorrow, and wear something you can swim in," she stated as she made for the door. " Be there at noon, we'll be practicing walking on water and maybe a quick spar before focusing back on meditation."

Sasuke nodded, staying planted in his seat. Sakura looked at him, then the door, then back at him.

" Well then, I'll see you later."

She opened the door and retreated outside, shutting the door briskly behind her. Sasuke sighed in relief as he heard her door shut and lock. Things were certainly going to be hard for the rest of their time together. He was starting to lose it around her.

" At least she couldn't tell I was lying…"

_**Hope Floats**_

Sakura stalked back and forth, rubbing her cold arms with her hands, trying to warm up her bare skin. She wore her black bikini and a big floppy hat, expecting it to be nice and sunny today, but instead, it was overcast and cloudy, dark rain clouds looming over the spring.

" Well at least I wore a damn hat," she sighed unhappily, taking a seat at the spring's edge.

" Am I late?"

Sakura turned around to see Sasuke emerge from the trail. She blushed as she looked over his exposed upper half, a pair of navy swim shorts hanging from his muscular hips.

' **Oh please, don't let him notice that blush**,' she thought inwardly as she turned around and stared at the ground.

' **Perhaps this ' training at the spring' was a bad idea**,' she giggled in response, trying her best to stand and keep her focus on Sasuke's face.

" Is something wrong?" Sasuke tilted his head as she studied her feet carefully. Her head snapped up and her bright eyes caught him a bit off guard. He smiled nervously.

" Not at all, s-shall we begin our lesson?" she wrung her hands uncomfortably before her as she turned and stepped into the water, her feet floating above the surface.

" Alright," she took a deep breath to concentrate on her chakra rather than Sasuke's body, " all you have to do is focus your chakra to your feet, but give yourself enough give so as to balance yourself."

Sasuke nodded and focused on his chakra balance before stepping out, instantly plunging into the cold water. He came up, gasping for air, his dark eyes settling on Sakura that stood above him.

He felt a creep of adrenaline from looking up her lean form, his eyes roaming over her curvy hips and breasts.

Sakura giggled and he was snapped back to reality. His eyes moved back up to hers and he noticed her hand extended to him. She smiled broadly and he placed his hand in hers as she pulled him up to her level.

A sudden rush of butterflies lifted his heart into his throat and he had to swallow to stop the sensation from the touch of her hand.

" Alright, lets try this again, but this time, try to feel your weight on the water, not just the water beneath your feet," she encouraged. " When I let go of your hand, you'll be on your own, so focus your chakra now before I let you go."

He nodded again, a bit hesitantly. It was a tad hard to focus when a beautiful, half clothed woman was holding your hand.

' Now what the hell am I thinking that for. God Damnit!' he thought furiously, trying to get a grip over his hormones. ' I do NOT care about her, I don't."

Sakura's hand left his hand and he felt himself fall again, his body slipping quickly into the frigid water. He caught his breath before he sunk under completely.

He was cautious to come back up. If he kept thinking about Sakura, he would never get his training done right. He had to destroy these thoughts of her, permanently.

Sasuke kicked his legs forcefully, keeping his eyes on her form above the water. He stopped when he was a good distance from her and tried again.

He could feel the strain on his lungs, but ignored it as he focus chakra to his feet, slowly pushing more to the base of his heels and toes, rising carefully out of the water.

He kept his hand seal firm as his head broke the glassy surface, his torso, then his waist. Sasuke was to mid thigh when Sakura appeared beside him.

' Do not look at her, she'll distract you again. Ignore her,' he thought over and over, keeping his eyes closed till he felt the cool water slip off his feet. He made it to the surface.

" Wow Sasuke that was great!"

He groaned as he felt himself sink again. Damn her and her voice. It gave him the shivers each time she said his name.

" Oh wait, I gotcha," she said happily, gripping his arm and pushing her chakra to his feet to keep him above the surface. He sighed and looked her in the eyes. She stared back at him with a small smile.

" Why do you do that?"

She blinked, a bit unsure of what he was asking her. Her fingers stayed wrapped around his arm, not wanting to let go.

" Do what, Sasuke?"

" That, that right there, that damn smile," he stated. Sakura frowned hesitantly and released him, letting him stand on his own. Thankfully, he hadn't lost his concentration since he got back to the surface.

" I don't get what you're talking about…" she trailed off, scratching her head in confusion. He sighed and backed away from her as she watched him with curious eyes.

" Sasuke, I don't kno-"

" You always smile at me like that, why do you do that? You don't smile at anyone else like that," he accused, his dark eyes clouded with mixed emotions. He didn't know whether she was simply being polite and nice to him or if she was flirting.

" Sasuke, I'm not s-sure what you mean," she stuttered, trying to make him stop backing away from her.

She reached her hand out in a somewhat distressed mannerism and Sasuke stopped in his tracks, seeing the hurt in her eyes.

" Your smile. That smile you give me. It's annoying and flirty. What's that about?"

Sakura's face flared a deep scarlet and she turned away, a bit stunned he had noticed. She didn't mean anything by it. It just sort of happened when he was around.

She tensed up, feeling his presence getting nearer. She didn't like what was happening. She had to get away from him, just until her mind was clear of his handsome face, his hot body, his charming smirk.

She shook her head.

" I have to go," she blurted out as she felt him stop behind her a few feet away.

She performed her hand seals quickly, her heart pounding furiously till she found refuge in a flurry of Sakura petals. She welcomed the rush as her nimble feet carried her far away from the spring.

Sasuke stood glued to the spot on the waters rippling surface. Sakura petals billowed gracefully down before kissing the glassy water's façade, creating ringlets of tiny waves.

He studied them carefully. They floated and spun before sinking slowly into the dark shimmering depths.

He crouched to gather a petal up in his hand, his head turning in the direction of Sakura's apartment. He rose and wrapped his fingers over the pink petal in his palm. Its silky caress on his fingertips. He only wished it was her soft skin on his fingers.

' I need to sort things out. Am I seriously falling for Sakura? And would it even matter if I were. She hates me. Hell, she wants nothing to do with me. It's just a fluke she would act so timidly around me,' he thought.

His eyes narrowed and his fingers clenched around the Sakura petal, crushing it in his fist.

He felt more than a little disappointed and the odd sensation of false rejection began to form in his mind.

There was no way Sakura would ever consider him, and he knew that all too well looking at their history. He didn't even want to feel this way.

" I don't know why I even care," he muttered as he stalked off to the bank, slipping his sandals back on before walking back to his apartment.

**Author's Notes-**

Okay, i know i suck. i'm rushing. i'm trying not to but its soo damn hard! gah

anyways

i suck your right

new chap up soon

that is all my minions of the sasu/saku lover kind

Black


	5. To Love Or Not, That Is The Question

**♥Caricatures of Intimacy♥**

**Chapter 5 – To Love Or Not, That Is The Question**

**_With life, there are always decisions to be made, but what happens when those decisions interfere with how you want to feel about something. Could choices change how you see someone and possibly alter how you wanted to see them in your mind? Sakura and Sasuke learn the hard way that sometimes you can't really choose who you fall in love with. It just happens._ **☼

Sakura sat beneath the overhang of her porch, a long strand of her bubblegum hair wrapped around her finger, her lips pushing a bubble of blue gum out of her mouth. It popped with a snap and returned to her gnawing teeth as she quietly turned the pages on her book.

Sasuke sat on the railing beside her, watching her annoying pattern repeat for that last half hour. Although her gum popping and the occasional ruffle of a page was slightly annoying, he was enjoying the silent company as they sat on her stoop on the unusually warm September day.

Sakura pulled her slouched jacket sleeve back up over her bare shoulder and hunched her body further against the door, her head rising to lie against the cool wood. Her sea foam eyes drifted to Sasuke to her right and she smiled up at him as he peered down at her.

" Wanna do a little training and grab a bite to eat?"

Sasuke nodded, Sakura beaming as he slouched off the railing to pull her up. A blush crossed her face briefly and she turned her face away in shyness. A month had passed and she and Sasuke were beginning to become close companions. Training was now a thing they didn't really consider Tsunade's orders.

" So where do you want to eat afterwards?"

Sakura turned to see an awkward smile on his face. She raised a pink eyebrow in curiosity and he did the same, a small game they would play to amuse themselves.

" What?"

" What, what?"

Sakura pouted her lips and frowned, her pursed pink lips drawing Sasuke's attention. He wouldn't lie. The line between "friends" and "something more" was drawing thinner with the more time they spent together, he could feel it. But some part of him despised the fact that he was enjoying her attention.

" Umm, how about some coffee, I'm not too hungry, but you can get something if you want?"

" No, coffee sounds great," he said with a small smile. His insides squirmed as she playfully touched his arm and walked ahead a bit.

His jaw clenched as he tried to shake it off. It wasn't as though he didn't like spending time with Sakura, but some part of him, a sort of win over his happiness, wanted him to hate being with her. And at times, that side won and he found himself loathing her.

" Sasuke, did you hear me?"

He shook his head and looked up at her face directly in front of his. In his thoughts of Sakura, he realized that he had come to a stop in the street. Sakura had planted herself practically at his feet, her face peering up at his.

" You okay?"

His eyes watched her lips move, opening seductively with each syllable. Her full, soft lips called his attention and he found himself hypnotized by the rich shade of pink, the small hint of gloss, the stretch of her smile.

" Uh-huh… what?"

Sakura laughed and turned away, spinning away from him with a playful twirl.

" I was saying maybe we should grab coffee first then do some tai-jutsu," she said as she skidded to a stop to look at him through her hair in her face. She blew it back with a puff of air through her parted lips and smiled over at him as he watched her odd behavior.

" Yeah, okay," he replied with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders and followed Sakura down the street to a crowded café. Sakura ordered their drinks as Sasuke took a seat outside, the warm sun beating down on the umbrella shading the small table in the courtyard.

He watched her quietly, his chin resting on his interlaced fingers. She made small talk with the young waiter serving her drinks, her flirty fingers playing on the necklace around her neck, her long dark lashes shielding her half lidded jade gaze. She giggled as the man replied to her chatter and Sasuke scowled.

' **Jealous are we?**'

' **Not really**,' he lied as his inner demons rose from the depths of his mind as Sakura wrote something down on a napkin and passed it over to the waiter who exchanged it for their drinks. She winked and smiled before walking out to the courtyard, plopping down closely beside Sasuke in a tall chair.

" He was friendly," she said happily as she sipped her coffee slowly, the steam curling up around her face.

" Hn."

Sasuke took a sip of his coffee, his eyes still boring holes in the waiter whose glances at Sakura weren't going unnoticed. Sasuke growled as the man's eyes met his and he instantly adverted his gaze away from their table.

" What was that for?"

He turned his attention away from the man to meet Sakura's sly smile. He felt the heat rise to his face as her eyes seemed to say what he feared she knew.

" It's nothing. I didn't like the way he was looking at you. Like you were a piece of meat or something," he said with a careless wave of his hand. Sakura giggled.

" Piece of meat? Where did you get that idea? I gave him my number so he could train with me. He knew me from ANBU, silly," Sakura explained. Sasuke's scowl now seemed doomed to never leave his face.

' **Training another guy, I don't like the sound of that. Will he be training with us or will Sakura have to exchange our time with him?**'

' **I don't know, but we've got to stop it somehow. It's not like we're going to share Sakura with that pig, are we?**' his inner self spoke up. Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the thought, his dark gaze settling back on the man serving coffee.

" Sasuke, really. I'm not actually going to train him if it bothers you that much. Besides, taking on two pupils is highly unprofessional," she reassured, seeing the glower on Sasuke's face.

" Whatever, I don't care," he said coolly and Sakura smiled.

She had gotten to know him quite well in their time together. She knew his cold temperament was hiding other feelings, perhaps ones he didn't like to feel or express. She was quite confused at first about Sasuke's reactions to some things she did or said.

But after a few incidents of brushing hands or pinning the other in a more than friendly manner on the training field had taught her that Sasuke had inner feelings as she did. Perhaps even for her.

" Sasuke, lets go, we can carry our coffee with us," she said brightly, sliding off her stool and stood to wait for his reply.

" Hn."

He slipped off his stool and followed her, listening to her story of working in the ANBU infirmary and the sorts of injuries she had seen.

" What's the worst?"

" Ummm…" Sakura pressed her finger to her lips in thought as they sat down in the training fields, Sakura sprawling out on the grass beside Sasuke. He crossed his arms behind his head and watched the clouds drift over the sky overhead.

" I think it was when a little boy was brought in. A family member had attacked him and apparently tried to murder him. His insides were torn apart and he died of internal bleeding before I could even start working on him. I just remember the look on his face, his ghostly pale skin, his bright eyes staring blankly up at me."

Sasuke turned on his side to see her on her stomach, her eyes staring at the ground.

" Tsunade sent me on leave after that, to get counseling and to rest. It was one of the worst days of my life. Who would attack a child? I always wondered who had done it to that poor boy, but I suppose Black Ops took care of that," she sighed before resting her head in the grass, her face turned to his.

" It gets rough Sasuke. No one's going to shield your eyes, no ones going to censor out the horrors you'll see. It can destroy and desensitize a person. Eat at their soul till they're an empty shell."

She frowned and kept her eyes on Sasuke's. That had been the hardest point at the time, seeing such a young child die. She saw death everyday when she worked at the infirmary, but nothing had bothered her soo badly as that little boy's murder had.

" Goodness, listen to me. I sound soo depressing. I don't want people thinking I'm weak, getting shook up over death," she sighed, looking away from him. Sasuke shifted closer to her, lying beside her in the tall grass.

" I don't think you're weak at all Sakura. It takes a strong person to do what you do. I'm surprised you aren't crazy by now," he replied soothingly, his fingers running through her hair. He wasn't sure what was making him act so companionate or intimate towards her, but he ignored his negativity as his fingertips brushed through her silky strands.

Sakura's heart raced madly in her chest as she felt his fingers run softly through her long pink strands. ' What is this feeling, am I nervous? Am I getting this flustered from his touch?' she questioned herself inwardly. Whatever the feeling was, she didn't like it one bit. It wasn't familiar and she hated the fact she didn't feel in control of her emotions.

" I'm fine now Sasuke. Thank you," she said, sitting up and scooting away till they had a good space between them. Sasuke frowned and watched as she looked off into the distance, her stare blank as though she were in deep thought.

' Maybe I shouldn't have gotten so close, she didn't like that,' he thought with a sigh.

' **What was he doing just now? Was that his way of comforting me? But the way he touched me, it was more than that, I know it**,' she thought, her mind clouded with confusion.

' **Perhaps it _was_ more than what you think. The way he touched you was not something ' just friends' do. Maybe he does li-' **

' **No! Sasuke would never, I mean look at him, he has no interest in someone like me. Besides, I have no interest in him either**,' she affirmed, trying to make herself sound as though she honestly believed what she was thinking. But that was far from the truth. She glanced over to catch his onyx gaze resting on her. She smiled weakly, trying to hide the sudden rush of butterflies.

" I'm sorry Sakura, I didn't mean to stir up old memories," he muttered, sitting up and crossing his legs as he watched her sad eyes revert to her lap.

" I'm not thinking about that, I just…"

" Just what?"

" It's nothing really. I'm just wondering something to myself is all," she replied with a forced smile.

Sasuke sighed. This was getting harder to hide. His feelings for her grew, but he didn't want them to. Perhaps he needed to put some space between them. He had no time for her anyway. He really should be training rather than going to get coffee and hanging out with her on her porch.

" Hey Sakura?"

She looked over at him, her somewhat downcast expression making him catch his breath. What would she say when he told her he didn't want to hang out anymore? Would she be upset, maybe even angry?

" I don't think we should spend time together anymore, other than training," he said quickly, figuring it didn't matter either way. If he hurt her, that was that.

" Yeah, I agree," she said unmoved by his blunt request. Although she looked passive to his comment, her heart beat furiously in her chest, her eyes burning with unseen tears. She was shocked he would actually say something like that. After he touched her like that.

Was it really that bad being around her? She knew it was too good to be true that he might actually like her.

" Wait, what?" Sasuke had to do a double take as he stared over at her.

" I said I think it's a good I idea we don't do stuff together other than train. I mean, it's wasting time just chatting and spending time together, right?" She picked at the grass, trying to prevent the choking in her throat, her tears beginning to well in the corner of her eyes.

Sasuke was taken aback. He expected her to hate the idea and say something along the lines of " ... but Sasuke! I love hanging out with you!". Secretly, he didn't want to stop what was happening between them, but at the same time, he just couldn't be around her any longer.

" Uh, yeah. I guess we should train if there's nothing else you want to say," he said coolly, a bit angry that she was fine with the loss of their personal time together.

" Um, I think we should train tomorrow. I, uh, have something I need to take care of," she said in a small voice. Her calm façade broke for a brief moment and Sasuke could see a glistening tear run down her cheek as her eyes closed tightly, her bottom lip between her teeth.

She quickly stood and walked off at a brisk pace, leaving Sasuke bewildered.

" But, I thought she didn't…damnit."

_**Mistaken...**_

Sakura huddle on her couch, her fingers tugging at the tissue in the box at her feet, her knees drawn to her chin and her head laid on her knees, tears running down her face.

" I d-didn't think he disliked me soo much," she hiccupped as she wiped at her damp face, smearing her mascara down her pale cheek. She had no idea why his rejection hurt her soo badly. She didn't even like him that much.

Her fingers crumpled up a tissue and she tossed it at the wall, the white cloth falling to the floor amongst the pile of other tissues. She closed her eyes tightly, pushing the tears out over her lashes as wiped at them furiously with her hand.

" This is why I hate him. He thinks he can j-just toy with me. He's probably getting back at me. I k-knew nothing had ch-changed," she grumbled as she stood up and walked back to her bedroom. She fell to the bed and let her weary body sink into the mattress.

Her eyes closed, but all she saw behind them was Sasuke's handsome face, that crooked smirk that made her heart race. She angrily flipped over onto her back and clenched her fists over her eyes.

" NO! I don't like him! Stop, just go away!"

She felt the familiar twinge of pain as his words replayed in her mind, over and over.

" _I don't think we should spend time together anymore, other than training."_

She sighed and her breath hitched as she felt the sobs come again. She turned on her side, hiding her face in her pillow as she wept, feeling betrayed and rejected. She thrust her fist against the mattress in frustration.

" No more. I won't let him use me. From now on, he's just my student, and I'm just his teacher," she mumbled into her pillow. Her weary eyes closed and she drifted off to sleep, her eyes red and swollen and her heart sore.

_**Reality Check...**_

Sasuke wandered around the next day, feeling like a complete ass. It wasn't the first time he had made Sakura cry, but it was the first time he had felt horrid about it. She was more than the girl he used to exchange unpleasantries with. She was much more than his trainer as well.

He looked up from the ground as he walked around the outskirts of Konoha and caught a glimpse of pink hair in the crowed. His heart instantly leapt to his throat. He smiled as he saw Sakura emerge and make her way to a large tree, her book in hand and a couple scrolls under her arm.

His smile faded as he saw the expression on her face. A deep frown crossed her lips and she fell to her bottom in the cool grass and sprawled her body out, her eyes closing as she spread her arms out, welcoming the sun on her face.

He watched her lay there for what seemed to be eternity, the people around him moving and brushing past him, but all he say was her form lying in the grass. Her Jonin shirt twisted around her slim waist, her small shorts cutting off at her mid thigh, her leg satchel secured neatly around her right thigh.

Her fingers groped the grass as she took a deep breath, her chest rising and falling with her inhalations. He smiled weakly when she sat up, her back to him. She opened a scroll beside her, flinging it out and slowly reading over it carefully.

He took a step toward her, his feet carrying him slowly over to her. She seemed to sense him approaching her and she turned her face around. His smile faded as he noticed the blank stare he received. She turned her face away, busying herself with the scroll again, as though she hadn't seen him.

Her pulse skyrocketed as she tried to make herself seem uncaring to his presence. The mere fact that he was searching her out made her anxious and happy. She knew he never meant the things he said.

" Sakura?"

He noticed her body tense up at the sound of his voice, but she kept her back to him, her fingers checking down the kanji written on the scroll rolled out at her feet. He sighed and cleared his throat and she cocked her head to look at him.

" What do you want? Are you here to tell me that you don't want to see me out around Konoha either, that running into me is a " bad idea"?"

He winced. The anger in her voice and slight mockery told him she was still upset about what he had said yesterday. She seemed to let his words slide as he had said them, but apparently after letting them sink in, she wasn't too fond of what he had to say.

" No actually, I came here to talk to you… about what I said yesterday."

" There's no changing that now Sasuke. You made it clear you don't want to spend time with me and that's fine. That's how you really feel and I'm not going to argue. Besides, not hanging around with you gives me more time to study on my own," she said coolly, her anger and hurt rising as she tried to push him into apologizing.

" Well I wasn't aware that I was such a distraction. Sorry I bothered you 'sensai'," he replied, his eyes narrowed at her. He honestly had come to her to take back what he had said, but upon her reply, he found himself disappointed for even feeling sorry. She wasn't really upset, she was just fucking around with him.

Sakura instantly regretting her biting comment as he turned to leave. If someone was going to be the bigger person here, she was going to have to step up. Really, she had thought her comments would make him feel guilty, rouse something in him to say " Yes, Sakura, the time I spend with you is wonderful and I wouldn't trade it for the world!"

" Sasuke, wait…"

He froze on the spot, hearing her small voice call his name. Her fingers tugged at the hem of her shirt as he turned to look at her. He watched her nervous habit, flashes of her soft peach skin revealing itself as she twisted and fiddled with her shirt.

" Look… I didn't mean what I said. I was actually…really hurt, by what you told me yesterday," she confessed, her face lit a gentle pink. It wasn't like her to confess that sort of thing to anyone, but the way his dark eyes softened when she spoke, she couldn't help but feel safe telling him her secrets.

" Actually Sakura, I'm the one who should be sorry. I really," he took a deep breathe to keep his words in check. If he didn't watch himself, he might say something he wasn't ready to.

" I like the time we have together, you know, just hanging out and junk."

His hand smoothed through his hair coolly and he looked away, seeing the smile light up on Sakura's face. A brief hint of what she considered a blush crept over his face as their eyes met and she giggled.

" Well what are we doing standing here? Lets train. I have something I want to teach you," she said happily, grasping his hand and leading him to the center of the field.

No, Sasuke wasn't afraid to feel her touch, but something in her warm hand holding his ignited a want in him, a want he wasn't sure he was safe letting linger in him.

**Author's Notes:**

Well…school is to blame for the shortness and extreme delay of this chapter, but unfortunately I have trying classes that need my focus but at the moment I feel confident that I can start up on working on fanfics again without falling behind or anything like that! So! Next chapter, lets shoot for say a week or so. If I'm stuck in a rut again I'll let you know via my fanfic page, where you can find info on things I'm doing or just a heads up on neato stuff. As for the anything else, eh… I need another cup of coffee

Thanks for your patience with me!

_Black_


	6. It May Be You At Last

♥Caricatures of Intimacy♥

Chapter 6- It May Be You At Last

**_With life, there are always decisions to be made, but what happens when those decisions interfere with how you want to feel about something. Could choices change how you see someone and possibly alter how you wanted to see them in your mind? Sakura and Sasuke learn the hard way that sometimes you can't really choose who you fall in love with. It just happens._ **☼

* * *

**_Days Spent..._**

Sakura sat barefoot in the deep green grass along the bank of the shimmering pool of water, her toes digging into the cool ground. She leaned back on her hands, watching the handsome dark haired boy move about under the water, his shadow jetting through the depths.

Her eyes softened their gaze as his head broke the surface and he smiled over at her silently. Her face lit a gentle pink and she looked at her neatly painted toes, her fingers digging into the earth. When would she get used to his smile?

" Not going to join me?"

Sasuke floated toward her, his feet brushing the sandy beach as he watched her sun kissed skin glimmer in the low light. The sun peeked at the two below from the high cliff, setting into the late afternoon.

" I don't feel like getting wet just yet," she shrugged. Sasuke raised an eyebrow and before Sakura could return his mischievous look, sprinkles of water touched her skin, making her shiver. Her body was suddenly airborne as the strong arms that had suddenly lifted her from her spot released her above the surface of the placid waters.

" Eek!"

Sakura plunged under the cool water, her skin instant gooseflesh as the cold invaded her warmth, slowly taking it from her body. She pushed her feet off the bottom, gasping as she sprung from the water, her hair matted to her face. She glared at the chuckling prodigy through her soaked pink strands that stuck to her cheeks.

" Not funny," she huffed, leaning back to dip her head into the water, pulling her hair smoothly from her face. Sasuke ceased his laughter and watched her calm face as she smoothed her hands over her slick hair, each dripping strand catching the rays of the sun.

Her half lidded eyes skimmed the water and came to rest on him as he watched her, a curious tilt of her head setting his eyes to the clouds above. Sakura turned around, giggling against her hand when she felt the water shift around her and Sasuke's heat came against her back.

" W-What are you doing Sasuke?"

Sakura's eyes widened as she felt his arms wrap around her waist, her face a deep pink. Her heart thudded in her chest fiercely. She was slowly beginning to panic as his hands traced feathery light over her stomach, his fingertips caressing her wet skin.

" Sa-Sasuke, what's go-gotten into you?" she stuttered as one hand rested on her hip, the other following the contour of her soft stomach to the valley between her breasts and came to rest on her collar bone, his lips pressing to her neck from behind.

" I want you Sakura…"

His voice hummed in a low, gruff moan almost and Sakura felt her knees tremble at the sultry tone. His lips left hot kisses along her flesh, sucking and nibbling. Sakura mind screamed as she tried to make sense of the situation. Sasuke was never like this with her. Never.

' **Revenge…**'

She felt a sly smile tug at her lips and she laughed low, causing Sasuke to stop leaving small kisses along her shoulder and watch her carefully as she turned in his arms. Her eyes glimmered with something mischievous and he faltered a moment as she brought her lips against his cheek.

" I know what you're doing Sasuke. If you want to play, then let's go," she said in a whisper, her lips pouted as she inched slower to him.

" Woah, Sakura. Alright you win," he said, his face like a tomato, a nervous smile on his face. He released her slowly, his fingers lingering slightly as they pulled away from her waist. Sakura almost missed the feel of his hands on her before she had to mentally check herself.

" Well you started it Sasuke. You should at least follow through," she teased, breezing past him, her finger tracing over his chest. His eyes followed her carefully as she moved up the bank, the curves of her hips making him bite his lip.

" When you say follow through… you mean… kiss you, right?" Sasuke fidgeted quietly, trying to make the question sound innocent enough. Sakura ceased drying herself off with the fluffy towel beside her bag and paused to think.

' **Did I really think about kissing Sasuke? I mean I knew he would stop me before we did… but what if he hadn't?**' she thought with confusion.

She turned to face him, the same curious tilt of her head as his own. She could feel her face grow hot as she continued to examine his calm face. His dark mysterious eyes, his raven hair, his lips…

" I… y-yes, I suppose," she stuttered, feeling the flutter in her stomach increase as the situation became more intimate. Sasuke moved from the water to the bank slowly, his heart racing, his tongue tracing over his lips as his eyes locked with Sakura's dimly lit emerald orbs.

Sakura let the towel slip from her slightly shaking hands as Sasuke approached her, his lips now her main focus. Could she seriously go through with kissing the boy she spent all her time hating? She still held those feelings of detest for him, right?

" Sa-Sakura?"

Her eyes darted from his lips to realize that he was now a mere few inches from her face. His hands slid hesitantly around her hips and Sakura, almost magnetically, moved in to feel his chest against her own.

Her own subconscious pushed her to look up into his dark eyes, gazing into them nervously as her blood raced red hot through her veins. She felt on fire, her body burning from Sasuke's fingers caressing her back.

" I-I… hate you Sasuke," she whispered as she watched his eyes droop and his head tilt to fit to hers. His fingers dug into her back, pulling her almost deathly slow towards his lips. Sakura felt her breathe hitch as she could see each silky black strand of his bangs collide with her rosette locks.

" Sakura!"

The two parted soo quickly, Sakura had to blink before she realized what had almost taken place. Sasuke staggered backwards, disappointment and anger in his low onyx eyes. Sakura watched him closely, their eyes meeting in a rather embarrassing glance.

" Sakura? Did you hear me?"

Sakura hesitated letting her eyes leave Sasuke's, but she eventually grew curious and somewhat angered at their intruder and turned to see Nira, casually dressed in a short-sleeved Jonin shirt and jogging sweats. Even still, Sakura felt her heart clench at the sight of his handsome smile.

" Oh hey Nira!" she said spiritedly, although she felt a bit disappointed at his interruption. Sasuke replaced his slight shocked and embarrassed frown with a loathing scowl.

" I've been looking for you all over the place since the night at the bar. I was wondering, with Tsunade's ANBU Halloween party a few weeks away and all…" he babbled on, Sakura gritting her teeth at the excessive time it was taking him to spit out what ever it was he was getting at, "… I was just curious if you might want to be my date?"

Sakura's raised her eyebrows in surprise. Without knowing it, she glanced hesitantly over at Sasuke who glowered back at her, not necessarily pleased with how things were going. Did she want his approval, him to shake his head in a desperate no?

" I, um… I," Sakura's eyes never left Sasuke's as she tried to come up with an answer. Why did he look soo upset over this? It wasn't as though _he_ was planning on going. But his overly gloomy face told her he might have been thinking about it.

" Umm, wow, sorry you caught me a bit of guard Nira. I really don't know what to say. I don't even know if I was planning on going…"

' **Great, now I sound like a total flake, this is awful! Oh what do I do!**' she thought in a panic. Should she ignore Sasuke's little bout of depression, the thundercloud over his head growing with each second she hesitated on telling Nira no? Or should she go with Nira and see if they hit things off?

' **And what about what was happening before Nira came along? Sasuke and I almost kissed. Does that matter? It wasn't as though we meant it, right? And it's not as though Sasuke and I were going together, right? So why shouldn't I go with Nira?**' she finally decided.

" Sure Nira, I'll go with you!" she replied after her moment of hesitation cleared. Sasuke's face fell a bit and he turned on his heal, not wanting to face the scene of Sakura and Nira.

"Great! So I guess we should set up a time to meet and stuff before the party," he said, abashedly rubbing his hands together, trying to look calm but fighting the happiness of her yes.

" Sure, I guess maybe over coffee sometime?" Sasuke stiffened and turned to see Sakura with a half smile on her face, her hands wringing the towel she had picked back up off the ground. Her eyes darted over to his and he glared at her, a tad too harshly and she bit her lip and looked back over at Nira.

" So how about tomorrow? Is that alright with you? We could meet outside the café in the center of town," Nira offered and Sakura frowned. Tomorrow she and Sasuke had planned on hiking up to the waterfall to train. She glanced over to see Sasuke's arms folded over his chest, his dark eyes narrowed at her.

" Um, I can't. I'm training with Sasuke tomorrow and it's kind of impor-"

" No Sakura, go on and go with Nira, I can train by myself," Sasuke interrupted, Sakura's eyes widening. She could hint the anger in Sasuke's voice. Nira smiled jubilantly.

" Well that settles it! I'll meet you at noon?"

Sakura felt her heart sink. She really had made a mistake, hadn't she? Sasuke turned away from her to stuff his belongings harshly into his bag. Sakura looked over at Nira, forcing a smile and nodding politely.

" Great! I'll see you tomorrow then!"

With a quick hug, catching Sakura a bit off guard, he left without another word, leaving Sakura and Sasuke alone on the bank. The orange sun lit over the water, basking them in a warm glow. Sakura slowly approached Sasuke, who folded his towel sloppily and proceeded to toss it atop his clothes before forcing the clasp on his bag shut.

" Sasuke?"

" What?"

Sakura winced a bit at the harsh snap to his voice, but knelt beside him, trying to see his face, but he turned from her to busy himself with tugging his shirt over his wet torso.

" Are you sure you're okay with this. I mean, we were going to train tomorrow and that's more important to me than some stupid date."

'…date…' Sasuke gritted his teeth. So that's really what she thought of it as. A date? With Nira? Was she just comforting him because she had blown him off. But that was his fault that she was going with Nira tomorrow, wasn't it?

" No Sakura I really don't care what you do. Why should I butt into my teacher's love life?" He knew he was coming off as a total asshole, but his anger and resentment were overriding his common chivalry.

" Love life? It's just some date with that guy from the bar. It's not as though I wanted to go."

" Then why did you say yes?"

Sakura staggered to her feet as Sasuke rose and slung his bag over his shoulder coolly. Why had she said yes?

" I… don't know," she muttered and Sasuke sighed.

" I don't care Sakura. Just forget about it, alright. Have fun on your ' date'."

With that he walked off in the direction of the village, leaving her alone like soo many times before. But why did it hurt soo much this time. She didn't care if she hurt Sasuke. He was some boy, who was inconveniently placed under her leadership, who she hated, who made her angry, who made her laugh, who made her smile…

" Sasuke, wait. Please?"

Sasuke stopped and glanced over his shoulder, seeing the hurt on her face. The clench in his heart, he couldn't ignore her anymore.

" What Sakura?"

" Why?"

" Why what?"

" Why did you almost… kiss me?"

He sighed and smiled.

" Because I felt I had to. If I didn't, you probably would have cried or something."

Sakura frowned. Not exactly the response she wanted. And for one moment she thought she was finally warming up to him.

" Me? Ha that's funny. You're the one bent about me going to the Halloween party with Nira."

Sasuke scowled. Turning without another word, he continued to walk out of sight into the forest, Sakura standing with her arms crossed. Would things ever be civil between them?

_**Arrangements…**_

Sakura sat impatiently picking at the napkin on the table before her as she sat alone in the café, waiting for Nira to come. Looking around she noticed the towns folk setting up the Halloween decorations for the upcoming celebrations. Two weeks and she would be going to Tsunade's party with Nira.

She sighed and let her eyes glaze over as she looked in the direction of where she might have been training with Sasuke. Her eyes lowered to her folded hands and she felt that too familiar pain in her chest.

' **What's wrong with me lately? Every time Sasuke and I fight, I feel this way. Why can't I make sense of how I feel?**' she thought sadly. Confusion was all too common when she was around Sasuke. She didn't feel that burn to be mean to him anymore. In a way she wanted to be with him, training, talking, things she would never have admitted enjoying with him.

She glanced over to the training fields across the street from her. Did she expect him to be standing there, waiting for her? In some way she was hoping he was the one she would be meeting for lunch.

" What is wrong with me?" she sighed as she shook her head. ' **I just want to forget about Sasuke, for one damn day!**'

" You're here early."

Sakura looked up to see Nira taking a seat across from her, a jubilant smile on his face like always. In the meagerness of ways, her mind left Sasuke for a moment to focus on Nira's handsome features. She couldn't help but smile and blush as he grinned back at her.

" How are you this morning Sakura?"

She felt calmed by his politeness and relaxed in her seat.

" I'm doing alright, yourself?"

He smiled wide and Sakura felt a flutter in her stomach. She didn't expect to be this moved by the simplest of mannerisms, but the way he smiled at her, it was soo familiar and warming. She faltered a bit at returning his smile when she realized it was the same warm smile Sasuke had once given her.

" I'm doing great, now that I'm enjoying my time with you," he said softly, Sakura giggling in response. For some reason, she just couldn't shake the feeling of wanting something else, to be somewhere else, with someone else.

' **Come on Sakura. Nira is a nice guy, try to stop being so cold and lighten up. Just because he's not Sasu-**

' **Don't say it…,**' Sakura sighed inwardly, Inner Sakura fading away. She wasn't ready to hear that yet. She didn't want to realize she would rather be spending her time fighting with Sasuke than on a date with some other guy.

" So about the party," Sakura said distractedly, trying to focus on the matter at hand rather than think ahead, about getting this ' date' over with and possibly catching up on training with Sasuke. Again she had to stop herself.

He was always on her mind.

" Well I figure I could pick you up at your place around 7pm, the party starts at 7:15, then we could just enjoy ourselves till midnight and I could take you home, if that's alright?"

Sakura nodded. Finally something was moving along.

" That sounds great! Here, let me give you my address so you know where to get me."

Sakura quickly scribbled her address on the napkin. Finishing up the last bit of information, she froze. The number 3 glared at her from the napkin. That wasn't her apartment number, that was Sasuke's… but why would she…

Sakura crumpled up the paper and abashedly smiled.

" You know what, how about you just walk me home and you'll know!" she said with a faint trace of pink in her face. Below her smiling features, she itched with the annoyance of writing Sasuke's apartment number instead of her own.

" That sounds like a great idea, that way I won't forget or lose the instructions," he said happily, rising out of his seat and pulling hers out for her. Sakura smiled politely and led him the short distance to her apartment, silently wondering what was wrong with her and why Sasuke was her main focus today.

Sakura trudged up the stairs, stopping at the door to turn to Nira. He grinned at her from a few steps down and she nodded back.

" Well this is it. So 7pm right?"

Nira nodded as Sakura inwardly exhaled, making it through the date in less than an hour.

" It was nice of you to ask me Nira, thank you."

" Thank you for saying yes. I couldn't ask for a more beautiful date," he replied, leaving Sakura slightly flustered.

" Thank you Nira! That's very sweet. So I'll see you in two weeks?"

" If I don't see you before then," he replied, making his way up the steps to stand before her. Sakura panicked. What was he doing? Was he going to kiss her? Sakura wrung her hands and waited with baited breath as he tilted his head.

She squeezed her eyes shut, not sure what to do. But a second later, she felt his lips press to her cheek and she sighed inwardly. He backed away and smiled warmly at her, Sakura not helping but smile back in relief.

" Bye…" she managed to squeak as he left, walking slowly out of sight. She slumped against the door and sighed.

" What have I gotten myself into," she muttered as her eyes drifted over to the door beside hers, the white 3 brightly smiling at her from the dark wood.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

HOLY CRAP! God I loathe school. This is soo aweful. To all of you who want to strangle me please feel obligated. That was the longest time I've spent before updating a chapter and I apologize. School and work have kept me more than busy and I feel full to bursting with ideas on my fanfics and I can't even get the time to work on them. Thankfully I found time to finish this chapter for all my faithful readers and again I'm sorry. Hopefully by next chapter, things will have slowed and I'll have chapters out faster.

Previews for _Chapter 7- Fine Print_:

Sasuke decides to go to the party solo

Sakura makes the mistake of confusing Nira for something like Sasuke

Emotions clash between Sakura and Sasuke

Kiss scene in chapter 8! One freaking chapter away! Omg

Okay anyways, I'll be getting a head start on chapter 7 now so hope you all enjoyed!

Black


	7. Fine Print

♥Caricatures of Intimacy♥

Chapter 7- Fine Print

**_With life, there are always decisions to be made, but what happens when those decisions interfere with how you want to feel about something. Could choices change how you see someone and possibly alter how you wanted to see them in your mind? Sakura and Sasuke learn the hard way that sometimes you can't really choose who you fall in love with. It just happens._ **☼

* * *

_**The Count Down…**_

Lust. Sweet, raw, delicious. Her whole body burned with it. With each stifled cry in the humid room, she was pushed farther and farther to the brink as rough hands touched her body with the same callous passion she craved for. Groping, grasping, clinging to her sweat slick body. She let out an agonizing scream of pleasure as a rush of satisfaction and pleasure flooded her ravaged form.

Her dark green eyes fluttered open to meet liquid fire eyes the gleamed in the face above her own. Raven locks caressed her face as his lips came crashing into hers.

Sakura sat up in a fright, her body shaking from the excitement and fear of her nightmare. Her hands gripped the sheets that had tangled up around her bare hips, her shirt twisted up around her breasts, exposing her pale skin to the darkness.

She collapsed backward, her head hitting the downy pillow with a light thud and she sighed aloud, pressing her clammy hand to her chest, feeling her rampant heartbeat slowly decline as she took in slow steady breaths.

" Just a dream…" she muttered, her shaky hand wiping the beads of sweat from her damp forehead. Her mind rushed and collided and tumbled with feelings. That face, hidden in the dark room, lit by some unknown source. Her mind tried to come to terms with whose face she had seen in her erotic dream, but she simply couldn't accept the owner of the visage that made her tremble and moan and cry out in her heated nightmare.

Sakura closed her eyes, only to relive her climax and opening her eyes to see the recognizable features of Sasuke lingering over her naked body.

" No, no, no, no, this is wrong..." she whispered over and over as she clenched her eyes close tight, trying to burn the image from her head. Never, it would _never_ happen.

" Not with Sasuke…"

" Not with… him…"

"… with… him…"

" Sasuke…"

* * *

Sasuke stirred, hearing a strange noise coming from just beyond the wall of his bedroom. It sounded like… muffled sobbing? Sasuke focused his attention, straining his ears at the pinpointed noise coming from the conjoining wall of Sakura and his apartment. He looked at the alarm clock beside his bed. 

Nearly three in the morning. Sakura was never up at this hour. In fact, she was the farthest thing from an early bird. Sasuke pulled the covers from his body and crept over the threshold of his room to the front door, slipping his sandals on and pulling a light coat over his bare torso before slipping over to Sakura's dark apartment.

From within he could hear light footsteps in her kitchen, pacing about, as it seemed. With hesitancy in his actions, he slowly lifted his hand to rap lightly on the door. The movement in the room beyond the door ceased and he could picture her frozen, staring at the door with the same hesitation in answering his knock he had soo carefully thought about.

Eventually, and very slowly, the sound of her bare feet padding across the floor grew louder and the rattle of a chain and the click of the lock resounded before the door was pulled open a cautious inch. Sasuke cleared his throat and Sakura's eyes widened before she pulled the door open and let him pass her into her living room. Looking carefully into the dark street, she shut her door and relocked it before turning to him.

" What are you doing here at this hour Sasuke? It's three in the morning," she sighed as she made her way over to a chair and sat heavily atop its overstuffed cushions. Sasuke followed her and sat opposite her on the loveseat.

At first, she had seemed to look just mildly tired when she had opened the door and let him in, but now he could see her puffy red eyes and troubled frown in the light from the kitchen.

" I heard you, and it isn't like you to be up at this hour. I thought something might be wrong," he said casually as Sakura yawned and nodded as though he were simply speaking of the weather.

" I'm just having trouble sleeping is all, Sasuke."

Suddenly her eyes went wide and she blushed, causing Sasuke to tilt his head at her odd behavior. She quickly stood and walked away, disappearing through the doorway to her kitchen. Sasuke, more than bewildered at this point, followed suit and rose to walk into the kitchen, only to find it abandoned and empty.

" Sakura? Where did you go?" Sasuke's voice drifted from the kitchen, through the hall and to the bedroom where Sakura lay beneath her covers, wanting to mesh with the mattress. As fresh as though it had just occurred, the flashback of her dream had suddenly lit as she had sat there with Sasuke. Mortified and unable to face him, she felt the need to hide, so she wordlessly scampered off.

" Sakura? What's wrong with you?"

His voice was biting and she buried her head into her pillow and groaned. Suddenly the blankets were ripped from her body and she looked up at Sasuke, a tilted grin on his face. Sakura resumed her attempt at hiding as she lifted her pillow and covered her head, muttering senseless strings of words.

Sasuke sighed and sat down, the mattress sighing under his weight and Sakura was thrown off balance and rolled into him, her face still trapped beneath the soft pillow. Sasuke lifted it from her face to laugh at her comical grimace, her bottom lip between her teeth and her eyes darting from his to the floral pattern on her sheets.

" Sasuke, don't look at me," she grumbled, her face burning a fiery red, glowing gently on her peach skin. In the dim lighting of her room, Sasuke bent over to look closely at her, Sakura's eyes filling with fear and amazement.

" Wh-what are you doing Sasuke, I thought you were mad with me? Why did you come here?"

She sniffed and he could see small shimmering ocean forming in her wide jade eyes.

" I heard you crying Sakura. Why?"

Sakura adverted her eyes and looked at the wall, trying to hide from his piercing dark eyes. She tried to scoot away, sitting up and twisting her body around, but Sasuke's nimble fingers gripped her bare thigh and she ceased movement. His rough hands on her soft skin. Sakura felt herself go weak with the familiarity of his touch. It was as though her dream was slowly coming to life.

" Talk to me Sakura," he said gently. She lowered her eyes in shame and embarrassment and she looked over in his direction, taking in only the sight of his chest, bare beneath the light jacket.

It was too much. Sakura felt her skin was aflame, his hand searing her delicate flesh.

" I had a bad dream," she managed to whisper weakly, sitting up straighter on her legs, pulling her nightshirt over her bare thighs. Sasuke's hand remained in place, his fingers seeming to creep along her chilled skin. He sat there motionless as Sakura sought out a way to get him out of her bed, out of her room, anywhere far enough away where she could sulk in the horror of her shame. She shifted, but his fingers gripped her thigh tighter and out of reaction, Sakura let out a nervous giggle, her eyes instantly going wider and her hands snatched up to her mouth.

" What's funny?" Sasuke removed his hand from her thigh and lifted her chin to peer into her frightened eyes. She shook her head, her hands clasped about her mouth.

" I'm scared Sasuke…"

Sasuke drew his hand back from her face and she shied away, puling her covers around her body, her face half cover by the soft blankets bundled around her body.

" Of what?"

His voice was soo soft and full of concern. For a fleeting moment she saw a soft smile on his face, a knowing smile, a troubling smile that left her trembling inside.

" Do you know what it's like to close your eyes, only to see something you don't want to? Something you would do anything to hide from? Something soo incredible and yet horrifying at the same time?"

Sasuke's eyes lowered. He knew that all too well. Dreams where he was holding, touching, pleasuring a hidden woman with a voice soo familiar, her soft moans drifting through his mind like the wind. It wasn't till he talked with Sakura the next day did he realize it was her voice, the voice of the woman he felt in his dreams.

It terrified him.

Sakura watched as he too seemed to recall his own familiarity with her situation. She wondered who he might be dreaming of.

" I know…"

Sakura's hands inched over the comforter to his own and she held it as she trembled.

" Will you stay with me till I fall asleep Sasuke? I can't be alone. I know when I close my eyes, it'll be there. Please, stay here with me, just until I can fall asleep…"

Sasuke watched as she pleaded with him with her bright eyes. He nodded silently and helped her lay down, tucking the downy blankets around her small form before watching her drift off.

" Thank you… Sasuke," she sighed, her voice sending chills down his spine. She settled further into the nest of blankets and closed her eyes peacefully. He brushed a strand carefully from her cheek and rose as her breath became steady and rhythmic. Her eyes fluttered and she let a slight moan escape her lips as she reached out into the dark room, groping for him in her dreams.

" Don't go… I don't want to be…alone."

Sasuke hesitated. Was she talking to him? Or was she dreaming? He took a step toward her bedroom door and saw the struggle on her face.

" Sasuke…"

He froze. The softness of her voice made him ache. He knew he had heard her say that before, in the same tantalizing voice. In his dream.

" I-I don't want to be alone…"

He saw a small tear gleam down her face from beneath her closed eyes and he walked back over to her bed and sat, unable to leave her. She reached out, grasping onto his jacket with her small hands. She nimbly pulled him to her, Sasuke falling onto the bed beside her. She unzipped his jacket and threw it aside before pulling herself against his bare chest, clinging to him.

Sasuke was, more or less, entirely unsure of what to do. Here he was lying in bed with Sakura, him half dressed and her in a shirt and underwear. Inappropriate was an understatement. What if she was soo distraught now that she just needed him for the moment and when she woke in his arms in the morning she would be horrified?

He struggled inwardly. It felt soo wrong to be lying here with her. This wasn't as far as he was wiling to go, but the look on her face made him stay, if only for one night. Leaving her like this would only hurt him worse in the end.

Leaving his common sense with his jacket abandoned on the floor, he draped his arm over Sakura's small waist and drew her close, inhaling the sweet scent of cherry blossoms as he fell asleep with Sakura's soft fingers trailing over his chest.

* * *

_**Undone At The Seams...**_

" Don't talk, just don't," Sasuke muttered as Sakura stuttered again, trying to apologize for her strange and just a tad on the side of improper actions with Sasuke.

" Look all I'm saying Sasuke is-"

" That you should have never invited me in, that's what," he said with venom in his voice. Sakura felt her face grow hot.

" I-"

" Sakura!"

' **God damnit! What now?!**' she thought bitterly as she cast a angered look over her shoulder to see Nira running up to them, a delirious smile like always, his arm waving over his head to hail her to stop. She softened her gaze, figuring she can't get angry with him for interrupting her already futile efforts to "talk" with Sasuke.

" Hey Nira," she said with a slight smile. Sasuke tensed and turned, watching the overly energetic ANBU nin sidle up to Sakura.

" So about tomorrow night?"

" Yeah?" Sakura placed her hand on her hip impatiently. She hated it when he avoided what he wanted to say through sideways conversation.

" I know you're going to the party as a masquerade princess thing," he muttered, scratching his head. Sasuke rolled his eyes. ' **What a freaking genius**,' he scoffed.

" Uh yeah, what about it," she said with a curious tilt of her head.

" Well, should I go as some sort of prince, so we match?"

' **And I had to say yes, didn't I. God I feel like a babysitter**,' she groaned inwardly before sucking up her last reserve of self respect, ready for the "lets play like I'm just as dumb" card.

" That would be great! Then people would know we went together," she said with a cautious smile. Too big and it might seem like she were mocking him. Too small and she might give away the fact she was ready to beat herself to death with her sandal.

" Great! Sorry if I sounded like an idiot but I just want this to be the best party you've been to!"

Sakura hesitated then smiled warmly. At least he had chivalry.

" I think it sounded great. So when should I expect you?"

Sasuke watched the sappy scene unfold. Sakura seemed to be warming up to the blabbering idiot before her. Sasuke scowled and stepped forward to grip Sakura's arm lightly. Her hear turned quickly to catch the annoyed look in his eyes and she smiled slightly to avoid the would-be scene.

" How about 7pm?"

Sakura nodded, noting Sasuke's urgency to get clear of Nira was rapidly increasing as his fingers wrapped tightly around her forearm.

" Sounds great, see you then!"

She was then yanked in the opposite direction by the thoroughly irritated Uchiha and was marched off to the sparring grounds, Sasuke's hand still holding onto her. Upon reaching their destination, Sakura's arm was released and Sasuke set off to distance themselves for a quick mock battle.

" God Sasuke, was it that important we train at this very moment?"

Sakura let out a small scream as she dodged the numerous kunai that came soaring at her suddenly, embedding them in the soft grass behind her as she leapt, blocked and evaded the rapid and rather sloppy attacks being sent at her.

" Sasuke… calm…down," she managed to yell through strained breaths as she narrowly avoided the blast of searing flame sent at her after a shower of kunai fell on her. Sasuke stopped, taking in deep breaths with a number of shuriken still clutched in his hand, his eyes narrowed at her from across the battle scarred terrain.

" God, are you trying to kill me?"

Her eyes caught their first glimpse of the small area they had used. The grass was burnt, the trees devoid of life after being torn to shreds by the thousands of blows by the razor sharp kunai and shuriken sent her way. Everything was practically destroyed to say the least.

" What's going on Sasuke? You're never this careless with your attacks?"

He glared at his feet, angrily throwing the few shuriken left in his hand into the ground. Sakura carefully made her way over to him, keeping her distance while trying to get close enough to speak with him reasonably.

" Sasuke, tell me what's going on... you know you can trust me," she said warmly, her eyes wandering over his face. His eyes held some dark secret when they met hers and she smiled gently.

" There's nothing going on that you can help me with Sakura. You've done enough already."

Sakura stopped, her smile slidding from her face slowly. He hated himself for always pushing her away.

" Sasuke, I don't understand..."

" Don't you get it! This whole time I've kept quiet about that fucking idiot. How could you say yes to that Sakura? Doesn't it bother you in the least to be wasting your time with him?"

'** Oh, so this is about Nira and that party... I get it now**,' she thought carefully. Sasuke was jealous that she was going with some other guy to the Halloween party tommorow night. She still couldn't tell if it was for her safety or perhaps his own selfish motives he had finally voiced his opinions to her.

" Sasuke, why did you wait till now to tell me all of this?" He turned away from her and bowed his head. Why had he waited? If he had just told her that he hated seeing other men around her, seeing her give attention to those who he thought didn't deserve it, then all of this would be over and he could breath easy knowing that it would just be Sakura and himself, no one else.

" I-I don't know what makes sense anymore Sakura..." he said quietly, trying to understand himself the mixed emotions that ran through his body. Did he want to be the one to take Sakura to the party? God, he never thought it would get this out of control. It was supposed to be _just_ training, _just_ 6 months with her. The more time he was around her, the more he felt himself give in to feeling the complacated things he hid from himself.

" Talk to me Sasuke, please don't hide from me anymore," Sakura urged gently, setting her hand carefully on his shoulder. She felt him tense under her touch, the uncertainty of whether he should tell her anything close to the truth of how he felt.

" I can't do that Sakura. I don't know what to think of this anymore," he said angrily. He wished he knew what was wrong with him, why his blood boiled when Sakura was with Nira.

" But Sasuke-"

" No Sakura. Enjoy yourself tomorrow night. I'm done training for today," he said with reluctancy. He had to get away from her. Everytime she was around, he couldn't think clearly. He pulled out of her touch and walked off toward town. Sakura watched him walk slowly away, with no explaination, no answer to what he was trying to keep to himself. He was so secretive, would he ever open up to her?

She sighed and sat in the charred grass. Boys were so complicated to understand.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Well thank goodness. I actually just wrote this up last night. I missed working on this story soo much. I finally found the time this weekend to work on it and I didn't stop till I was satisfied with where I was headed.

**WHAT!? WE'RE AT CHAPTER 8 ALREADY!!! oh shock and horror**

haha yes the chapter I'm sure you've all been waiting to read and I've been agonizing to write. This is going to be, to say the least, a blast to work on! i love writing mush! hoho children, keep your seats cuz the show is begining!

Next up! Chapter 8- Intermission!!!

just a quickie on the next chappie's contents-

-kiss scene FINALLY happens

-Sakura refuses to teach Sasuke anymore

-Emotions run high as Sakura and Sakura have more than a few coincidental run-ins

-A drunk Sakura is rescued once again by Sasuke ( This scene will be explicit, contains suggestions of rape)

Well that's all i can give away for now! I've finally gained the smarty smarts and i've worked this story and Accidents back into my more than full schedule soo

UPDATE WILL BE UP SOON!!!

-Black


	8. Intermission

♥Caricatures of Intimacy♥

Chapter 8- Intermission

**_With life, there are always decisions to be made, but what happens when those decisions interfere with how you want to feel about something. Could choices change how you see someone and possibly alter how you wanted to see them in your mind? Sakura and Sasuke learn the hard way that sometimes you can't really choose who you fall in love with. It just happens._ **☼

* * *

**_Finding The Strength..._**

" Get over it, I'm not wearing that," Ino huffed, her lips pouted unpleasantly as Sakura frowned and restuffed the dress back into the box.

" That's all I have Ino. You really should have said something sooner. I might have been able to find something before I got rid of all my old Halloween stuff," Sakura said appologetically as Ino let out a groan and fell backwards onto Sakura's unmade bed, the blankets falling over her face.

" Why the hell did I wait soo long to get a freaking costume for tonight! Arrgg, now what am I going to do?"

" Well what if we fixed up last years ball gown you wore?"

Ino's bright blue eyes flew open and she sat up so frighteningly fast, Sakura readied herself to catch Ino. Instead, the blonde shot to her feet and pushed Sakura from the bedroom.

" That is the best idea I've heard Sakura! Hold on, I'll be right back with the dress," she shouted as she ran from the apartment. Sakura sighed, wiping an imaginary bead of sweat from her forehead. it would have been a disaster if Ino couldn't find a costume.

" That was close," she giggled.

" What was close?"

Taken by surprise, Sakura turned her attention to the open door where she found Sasuke leaning against the door frame, watching her run her fingertips across her brow. Sakura let her hand drop to her side, curious as to the small smile Sasuke wore.

" I-, it's good to see you Sasuke. I thought after yesterday, you wouldn't want to talk to me," she said carefully as she watched his expression, unchanging and calm as ever. He laughed, more a chuckle really, but hearing that noise caught Sakura off guard and she stared at the Uchiha grinning at her.

" Are you feeling okay?"

Sasuke shrugged, tilting his head before his eyes settled on hers and he made his way inside. His fingers grazed the door and he pushed it shut slowly before turning to Sakura, his eyes intense and low. Sakura, now a bit bewildered by his strange behavior, was feeling the fluttering sensation take its hold on her stomach as Sasuke stopped in front of her.

" I meant every word I said yesterday Sakura," he said in a smooth voice that melted her insides. She closed her eyes breifly, nodding while taking in his intoxicating scent. " I don't like you going to the party with Nira," he continued, his fingers now lightly running up her arm. Sakura slowly opened her eyes to look at him from under her dark lashes. It was driving him wild to see her take in his every word, her tongue running over her lips uncontiously.

" I know," she said quietly as his hand brushed her shoulder, pushing her pink strands over her back, letting them slide through his fingers before he ran his hand down her bare shoulder. He felt her shiver underneath his touch and he smiled softly. She tilted her head, her deep eyes capturing him.

" What do you want me to do Sasuke?" she asked in a hushed voice, so unnervingly sweet it made him burn with the desire just to feel her lips on his. He dipped his head, his eyes slowly closing, capturing the sight of her soft pink lips, her blushing cheeks.

" Go... with me," he whispered before he let his eyes close, feeling her hands cling to his shirt front. His arm linked around her back and he drew her to him, feeling her body press to his, fitting perfectly to one anothers.

" I-I..."

" Sakura! I found it!!" The door suddenly flung open, Ino carrying in a large blue dress that obscured her veiw. Sasuke withdrew from Sakura slowly as Ino struggled in the doorway. Sakura kept her eyes on him as he backed up, his fingers carelessly sliding down her arm, their hands meeting breifly. Sakura held her breathe, not knowing what to say.

" Hello? Sakura?! Can I get some help over here?!"

Sakura hesitated, looking from Ino wrestling to untangle the dress from the doorframe to Sasuke, waiting expectantly for her answer. She frowned and bit her lip.

" I-I'll be right there Ino..." she said slowly as she backed away. Sasuke watched her, Sakura watched him. What was she to say? She couldn't make sense of her feelings anymore. One moment she couldn't stand being around Sasuke, the next she wanted his hands on her, his lips exploring her own. Was that even normal?

" Sasuke, I wish I-...I wish I could, Sasuke, but... I can't..." she finally stuttered, seeing the hurt in his eyes, although his face betrayed any trace of pain he was feeling. Wasn't she just clinging to him, expecting for him to kiss her? Was it soo hard to tell him yes? Maybe she really didn't feel the same way. He stuffed his hands in his pockets casually and nodded.

Ino had suddenly grown quiet, relinquishing her battle with the door and dress to watch Sakura and Sasuke stare at each other. The intensity at their shared look told her something was amiss. How long had it been since Sakura had first started training Sasuke? She hadn't noticed it before, but they had grown rather close. Sasuke made his way silently to the door, carefully pulling the hem of Ino's dress off the snag in the door and walked down the steps. Sakura's eyes followed him as he walked down the street and turned the corner, her eyes sad and reflecting a longing Ino had never seen before.

" That was...different. Is something going on with Sasuke and you?"

Sakura shook herself out of her trance and looked at Ino blankly. Ino's concerned blue eyes searched her own breifly before Sakura broke the contact and moved over to take the dress out of Ino's hands.

" Let's get this thing fixed up so you look beautiful tonight!" Sakura said with a smile and Ino, confused and apparently missing some sort of inciddent between her pink haired friend and the Uchiha, followed Sakura into the living room to sew the dress for the party that night.

**_Holding on..._**

Sasuke shuffled quietly down the cobbled street, his anger diminished and now replaced with a strange pain that throbbed each time his heart beat. It felt as if the air was being cut off to his lungs and he might just break down at any moment from the unwelcome reminder of Sakura's rejection. Words escaped him when she had told him no. She welcomed his hands on her body, his lips soo close to hers. He almost reached the point he had been longing for when yet another distraction forced them apart.

He thought that, maybe if he knew how Sakura felt for him, he might be able to make sense of his own crazy desires. He turned down a narrow road, desolate save a few ninja milling around a small shop selling party aparel. Sasuke couldn't help but feel jealous when he spotted the couples laughing and gathering around the shop's windows, talking happily about the party later. His disposition only darkened when he saw Nira exit the store with a bag in hand, a stupid grin on his face.

He stopped when he spotted Sasuke and waved energetically. Sasuke nodded and continued down the road, but moments later he felt a hand clasp his shoulder. His head swiveled around to see Nira beaming at him from his right.

" Hey! It's Sasuke, right?"

" Hn."

Nira smile faltered, but lit back up as he spoke up again.

" So you're Sakura-chan's student that she speaks so often about!"

Sasuke eyed him dangerously. The only person he didn't mind calling Sakura "Sakura-chan" was Naruto, and even that was pushing it. But the last bit of Nira's babble caught his attention. '** So Sakura talks about me to this fool, does she?**' he thought, a bit cheered by some sort of affection coming his way from Sakura.

" Yeah, she's always saying how difficult and stubborn you are during practices," Nira chuckled.

Sasuke resumed his glower. ' **Hn. I'm not stubborn**,' he thought, a bit down trodden now that Nira added that last bit.

" But the way she says it, with that look in her eyes. I can tell you two are close."

Sasuke eyed him carefully. Was he lying? Not as far as he could tell. But then again, he knew what that look was. Her eyes would grow warm and held a passion in them that, before he had gotten to know her better, still entranced him. The way the green of her eyes burned brightly when she was angry or suprised. The sparkle in them when she was happy.

" So are you going to the dance tonight too?"

Sasuke's eyes settled back to Nira's. He shook his head slowly, still thinking about the way Sakura's eyes had glowed the deep emerald before her lashes closed over them.

" Well gosh, that's too bad. I hope you have fun with whatever you're up to then! See you later," he said cheerfully, waving as he walked up the street. Sasuke watched him walk out of sight.

" I plan on having fun," Sasuke muttered as he turned back to the store, seeing an old fashioned tuxedo with a black mask. A small smile found his lips and he wandered through the crowd pressed around the window display to go and make a small purchase.

**_Making Time..._**

" Sakura! That's stunning!"

Sakura turned in a full circle before Ino, her lacy black dress rustling about her feet, the strapless corsett top tied neatly with a black silky bow. The skirt of the dress fanned out at her hips, the immense layers of silk and lace giving it a sophisticated and regal look. Her hair was curled in ringlets and pinned atop her head in a bun, white flowers adorning her pink strands. A black mask with red ribbon and white stones sat upon her face, her dark green eyes noting a hint of shimmering eye shadow.

Ino sat and gaped at the dress, the hoopskirt with the intricate designs of red cherry blossoms, red bows laced up the sides. Sakura bowed slowly and carefully in her tall heels and smiled.

" It's gorgeous! Where did you find it?"

" I saw it in the window displayed of a shop in the center of town. I added the red ribbon myself," she said cheerfully. The dress was perfect. Her hair shone bright against the dark fabric of the dress and the corsette top revealed her smooth shoulders and back. She felt like a princess of sorts, ready to go meet her prince charming. She frowned slightly. She could have been going with Sasuke. She wanted to go with Sasuke. But canceling with Nira just didn't settle right with her.

" Alright show off, I have to go get ready before Shika comes to get me. I'll meet you there, okay?"

" Sounds great, I'm sure I'll be able to find you," she said with a wink. Ino's dress was certainly a rival to hers after she and Ino fixed it up.

" See you soon," she said with a breif wave as she made her way out the door. Sakura remained standing in the living room, her fingers running over the dress's soft fabric.

She decided to meet Nira outside and stepped out the door carefully, carrying her dress skirt to keep it from catching on her doorframe. Outside, the temperature was perfect for a night out. The gentle cool breeze teased her exposed skin and she shivered. She unconciously looked next door, wanting to see Sasuke come out, dressed in a tuxedo matching her dress. She sighed.

' **It's not fair to Nira for you to be dwelling on Sasuke the entire night, you know**,' Inner Sakura said as she sat in her own little gown inside Sakura's mind. She russled around, spinning playfully, her curly pink locks let loose from the bun and the spirally strands billowed around her shoulders delicately.

" I know..."

" Sakura? Were you talking to yourself?"

Sakura, clearly startled by a third voice, practically jumped out of her dress with fright. She turned to see Nira wearing a black tuxedo, a ruffled collared shirt beneath, no mask but just a smile on his face.

" Oh, no sorry," she laughed, trying to shake off the fright and embarassment. He shrugged and with a small gesture of his bended arm, Sakura slipped her arm through his and they made their way towards the party.

Through the window next door, Sasuke watched them depart. Sakura was breath taking. Her dress clung to her frame perfectly, only emplifying how shockingly beautiful she was. The only thing wrong with the picture was Nira. Sasuke adjusted the mask over his eyes, the bright kanji for love standing out on the cheek of the mask. A little much with the kanji, but he was glad with his choice of the tux. Sasuke made his way out the door, locking it quickly before following Sakura and Nira at a safe distance to the party.

Other party go-ers met up in groups as they all eventually came to stand at the ANBU headquaters, filing in to grab a seat in the ballroom. Sasuke casually slipped in, meshing with the cround but never straying far enough away from Sakura and Nira. He watched their lips move with pleasant conversation, Sakura's fingers fiddling with the purse in her hand. He could see the slight hesitation in her actions. He felt bad for potentially ruining her night, but he had to get what he needed to say off his chest. Although he felt no better because of it.

He thanked his own cleverness for thinking of wearing a mask. Otherwise, he was sure she would notice him right away. A few times, her eyes would scan the room and rest on him, her bright green orbs examining him before roaming back over the croud. He always had to catch his breath afterwards. It was nervewracking to have her stare at him like that. Each time it happened, he felt the need to hide, as though she could see him through the mask. It was humiliating to think she might discover him.

What sort of impression would it make on Sakura if she knew he had come alone just to watch over her?

" Sakura, let me get you a drink. How about you find a place for us to sit?"

Sakura nodded and smiled before he left her, sorting his way through the couples mingling around the refreshment table. Sakura found a vacant table in the corner, conveniently placed beside the table Sasuke had chosen. He shuffled in his chair, turning his face from her. He heard the rustle of her dress as she brushed past the numerous chairs crowding the circular tables, eventually sitting in the seat in the far corner beside him.

He turned cautiously but casually until he was facing the croud, the sight of Sakura beside him causing his heart to beat uncomfortably. She caught his eye and smiled warmly. He nervously smiled back.

" I'm Sakura," she said sweetly, extending her hand, " it's nice to see someone else who doesn't like big crowds."

She giggled as he gripped her hand gently, sure she was laughing at the flushed red staining his face. But she released his hand and looked back over the sea of people in the room.

" I hate gatherings like this. Too many people, it makes me feel like I'm suffocating."

Sasuke nodded. It was becoming dangerous. He didn't want to seem rude, but if he spoke, she would know it was him. Instead, he smiled as she watched him twist a napkin in his hands. Her eyes narrowed slightly as her gaze roamed his hidden face.

" I feel like we've met before."

Sasuke bit his cheek. This was not good. She knew it was him. He should have known better to get this close to Sakura. He was on dangerous grounds now.

" Who's our new friend Sakura?"

Thank the stars, there was a god.

" Oh Nira," Sakura's eyes broke their gaze on Sasuke as she turned to Nira, taking the glass in his hand before turning back to her masked companion, but he had dissapeared, pushing his way through the throng of people.

" Who was that?"

Sakura shook her head. " I don't know, but he seems familiar."

Sasuke finally broke through the mayhem, his heart racing soo fast he felt he might pass out from the near fatal mistake. He now made it top priority to keep his distance from Sakura. Another episode of that and he was sure he would be discovered.

For the rest of the night, he lingered in the background of the party, drifting around and watching as Sakura and Nira seemed to enjoy their night together. They would sit and talk and when the occasional good song came on, Nira would offer Sakura his hand and they would make their way to the floor to dance. But something was amiss. Sakura's eyes seemed distant and dull. Although her smile was heartfelt and good natured, her eyes reflected nothing of her cheerful attitude. Upon the last hour of the dance, Nira disapeared from sight, leaving Sakura sitting alone at their vacant table.

'** It's now or never, Sasuke.**'

He quickly but calmly made his way over to her. She watched his approach with almost anticiaption, as though she had been waiting for him the entire night.

" I thought you had vanished," she said with a soft smile. He shook his head and jerked his thumb toward the refreshment table. She laughed and he felt his heart leap into his throat.

" For more than 3 hours. You're definitely different," she said as she stood. The lights over head dimmed and a slow tune filled the room, couples migrating toward the floor to hold their partners close as the melody drifted through the croud.

Sakura's eyes twinkled brightly as the small shimmering lights reflected across the dance floor and Sasuke moved forward, offering his hand to her. Without a second thought, her hand was placed in his and he led her to the center of the floor, losing them in the mass of dancers. Sasuke bodly set his hand on her hip, his other hand guiding her closer. She never took her eyes off of his, even through the mask he wore. It were as though she were trying to read him, to find something familiar.

Her body pressed up against his as her arms wrapped over his shoulders, her fingers playing in his raven locks. Her soft lips grazed his cheek and he could feel his face grow hot.

" You remind me of someone," she whispered in his ear. " Someone I miss."

Sasuke fought the urge to ask her more, but she seemed to sense his curiosity and she continued.

" I know this is strange, but I hate him. I hate everything about him. But at the same time..."

She paused and he caught his breath.

" I want to be with him."

Sasuke felt the lump in his throat dissolve as she said what he wanted to know. But Sakura's voice never stopped in his ear.

" I wish I could tell him, but something tells me I would be wrong to tell him how I feel. I know he doesn't feel the same way."

Sasuke backed away, taking a good look at her face. His entire will was broken. He had to show her it was him behind the mask, the boy she was speaking to him of. But fate was never Sasuke's friend and he felt a swift tap on his shoulder. He turned to find Nira, smiling as ever.

" May I cut in?"

Sasuke looked at Sakura, one last pleading look to make her understand it was him, but she released her hold on him and backed away.

" It was nice dancing with you..."

Sasuke felt a small pang of anxiety. He couldn't wait to tell her this. He might not find the courage again. Eventually he nodded and backed away from them, meshing into the croud as he left Nira and Sakura to themselves.

Sasuke found himself a table on the balcony overlooking the dancefloor, thankful for the time to himself. He removed his mask and scoured the couples dancing for Sakura and Nira. He finally spotted them in the corner, swaying closely, Sakura's head resting on Nira's shoulder. Nira's hand was dangerously low on Sakura's back and Sasuke scowled. He saw Sakura lift her head, seeing Nira speak to her. She smiled nervously.

" What could he be telling her," he hissed to himself. He leaned against the wall, watching them fraternize as his anger simmered. Why hadn't he asked her to this stupid party first. This wasn't the first time he had chickened out of saying what he wanted to Sakura, but this was the first time he seriously regreted it. If she had just said yes when he had seen her earlier... He continued to strain his eyes against the dim lighting to watch them, seeing Sakura look around expectantly, as if waiting for him to come back.

It wasn't till he saw her eyes close and Nira's lips touch hers did he feel the full sting on rejection.

Sasuke stood stock still, his grip on the railing increasing as his anger and pain took over his rational thinking. The crack of the wood railing under his clenched fist must have echoed louder than he had anticipated, for when he had released the splinted wood and looked back out on the sea of people, he saw Sakura's wide green eyes fixed on him.

Her mouth formed his name in a terrible way and Sasuke had to turn away. He grabbed the mask lying on the table beside him before rushing carefully from the ballroom. Behind him, Sakura struggled to break from the people who had stopped to see what had caused the loud noise. Nira stod bewildered behind her as she left him alone to chase after Sasuke.

" Move! Get out of my way," she said with panic in her voice. Sasuke had come to the party after all. What was worse, she had danced with him and told him everything. He had seen Nira kiss her. She felt her breathing become strained, each breath more painful than the last. She finally broke from the group and with a careful gathering of her skirt, her broke out in a jog, trying to catch up with the enraged Uchiha.

She burst from the building, dashing into the streets in a hopeless search for any sign of him. But he was no where to be seen. Sakura dropped the folds of the dress in her fists, her eyes welling with tears. They burned as they swam in her crystal green eyes, spilling over her dark lashes and landing with deafening splashes to the cold ground around her feet. The only sound in the night was her choked sobs and the small patter of tears collecting on the pavement.

" I'm such a fool," she hiccuped as she gathered up her dress again to find him. But this time she wasn't sure where she would look. His home was too obvious and Sasuke was never the predictable type. Instead, she slowly made her way toward the sparring grounds. Somehow she had a feeling he would be there, standing alone in the center of the moonlit feild. She slowly approached from the street side, crossing the bridge that separated them.

He had heard her coming. He just didn't feel like running anymore. he didn't feel anything anymore. His heart had been split at the seams, crush under the unbearable fact that Sakura had no desire to be with him. Why this bothered him soo badly didn't matter anymore. He knew the answer he had been seeking all along.

Sakura stopped a few feet behind him, her hair dangling around her face, fallen from the neat bun on her head. She watched him with sorrow filled eyes, waited as he ignored her presence. He finally gave into the silent uncomfort that had settled around them and turned to face her, but he couldn't look into her eyes. He knew that they held pity and sadness, not comfort and love. His eyes remained lowered, his heart painfully throbbing as she reached out to him.

" Don't..."

Sakura cringed as his voice, clear and harsh, broke the silence. She withdrew her hand and instead moved forward. She just wanted to see his eyes, wanted to know she could fix what she had broken.

" Sasuke, I-"

" It doesn't matter Sakura," he muttered, turning away. Sakura caught a glimpse of his sullen face, his eyes dark and stormy. He moved slowly, agonizingly taking his time to turn from her.

Sakura choked back a sob, but remained strong. She couldn't break, not yet. There was soo much she had to say to him, to tell him, to confess.

" It does... it matters to me, Sasuke," she whispered, looking away. She felt ashamed. If she had never... never said yes to Nira. This would have never had to happen and she and Sasuke would be together. Like she had dreamt.

" Why would _you_ care, Sakura," he said in a slightly louder voice, anger lacing his words, " why does this even matter to you in the least. Go back to your party, back to _him_."

Sakura felt her hand shake from the rush of emotions flowing through her at once. Resentment, sadness, anger, longing.

" I do," she replied, her voice strained as she fought the lump in her throat. " I-I never meant for-"

" For what!?"

Sakura staggered backwards as Sasuke's anger rose dangerously, his voice echoing through the vacant field. His fists clenched and his head snapped up, the Sharingan burning in his chrimson eyes. Sakura felt her knees try to give from beneath her, but she held her ground, knowing that if she had to fight to prove to him she cared for him, she would.

" For Nira to kiss me!"

Sasuke faltered. He never really thought she would come out and say it. But here it was, the ugly truth out in the open. Their tempers were rising. He could see Sakura struggle to remain calm. How he wished he could break her, destroy her placid exterior.

" You let him kiss you!"

Sakura scowled. Sasuke's temper was triggering her own and she knew it wouldn't be long till they were screaming at one another.

" Yeah, I did. What would you care anyway Sasuke. You...hate me," she replied, her eyes narrowed, gazing defiantly into his blood red orbs. He smirked. Fuck rational thinking. His anger was boiling over and here was his punching bag, ready and willing to take his blows. Sakura stood stock still, waiting for him to speak.

" I do hate you Sakura, more than you know. You've always known this. Why do you look soo hurt?"

She let her eyes soften, feeling tears spring back up into her eyes. But as quickly as her pain had risen, so had her anger.

" You're jealous! I never thought I'd see the day Sasuke, when you would go out of your way to try and win me over."

" Win over a slut like you? Well it wasn't that hard. How many times could I have had you? If I recall, you would have given me anything if I had asked you right."

He approached her slowly, his mouth turned up in a devilish grin, his eyes holding a sickening knowledge. Sakura staggered backwards, only to have his hand wrap around her forearm, jerking her forward. She fought him weakly, pounding her free fist against his chest as she clenched her eyes shut. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't break free. She didn't want to. She wanted to cling to him, to cry as he held her.

He grabbed her other hand easily and held her as she squirmed. He watched her struggle against him, as though she just wanted to run from him and never look back. But the fight she put up was false, a barrier between him and how she was feeling. His smile faded and he watched as she finally gave up the fight, realizing she had no will to fight him. She slowly opened her eyes to look up at him. But instead of finding his charecteristic smirk, she saw hurt written across his handsom features. She gazed into his eyes, not realizing his grasp on her had loosened.

" Sasuke, I-I'm... sorry," she whispered, but as quickly as she let her words escaped her mouth, his lips had pressed against hers roughly. She felt her heart jump into her throat. But instead of thinking, she gave in. She didn't want to worry about her undying grudge against him. The only thing that filled her mind was the way his lips moved over hers, the feel of his hands on her back, the silken touch of his hair through her fingers. She pulled him closer, desperate to never let the moment end.

Sasuke wrapped his hands around her back, holding her closer, their bodies molding together perfectly at every curve. The world was falling away at their feet, only leaving tthe warmth they shared in their embrace. Sasuke lost himself in her, her touch, her scent, her taste. Her fingers ran through his raven locks, pulling the mask from atop his head and letting it fall to the ground. The soft smell of cherry blossoms filled the air as he took in breaths between each kiss. Her lips were sweet and soft, pressing against his passionately.

Each moment they stood, their lips never parting, it seemed like hours had passed when they finally broke apart. Sakura couldn't look into his eyes. She feared that somewhere, someone was playing a horrible joke on her. That she was clinging to her sheets in her bed. She clung to Sasuke's shirt and buried her head in his neck. Sasuke unbottoned his jacket and pulled it around her, cocooning her to him as the night grew colder.

They both grew more and more away of an ugly truth. What if this really was a dream? What if when they parted, they would find themselves alone in their vacant rooms, reaching out to an invisible being as they lay alone in their beds. Sasuke held Sakura to him tightly. He didn't want this to be a dream. It was all too perfect for it to just be a lie. They stood in silence, savoring the warmth they shared, thankful to be clinging to one another, although it might fade when they parted.

" Sasuke?"

Sasuke smiled. Finally, everything he wanted to know would be answered. He leaned his head against hers and waiting for her to continue.

" You...don't hate me, do you?"

She pulled back, her warm breath no longer teasing his neck. He gazed into her deep emerald orbs, shimmering as the moonlight reflected in their depths.He smiled gently, his fingers caressing her back.

" I don't. I don't see how I could anymore."

" I don't see how I ever did," she replied. She carefully stepped back from the shelter they had made and let the cold night invade her. Sasuke watched ehr as she smiled at him, her hair glowing in the pale light, her eyes reflecting all she wanted to say but hadn't.

" I can't teach you anymore Sasuke."

His breath caught painfully in his throat. She sensed his pain, but she remained planted before him.

" I've broken my honor as your sensei. The relationship we share now is not what a teacher and student should have. I can't train you any longer," she sighed, her words becoming harder and harder to choke out.

" We don't have to do this Sakura. I want you to teach me. I promise not to let this get in the way," he pleaded clamly, although a sickening realization was settling in his stomach. What if she wasn't his teacher anymore? Would she want to be with him after this? He couldn't stand the thought of losing her after what had worked soo hard for.

" Are you sure that's what you want. We can't let this happen again, no matter how badly we want it. I care too much for you to see you fail to get into ANBU because of my mistake."

The answer hit him. ANBU. She wasn't rejecting him, she was making sure his future was secured. He smiled and nodded. As long as she was with him, it didn't matter how. Soon enough he could be with her without any barriers between them. He was willing to wait four months for Sakura.

* * *

**_Author's Notes-_**

Yeah yeah so I changed some things. As I began writing this, I realized something things I thought I liked were't really the best way to go. So instead of having them screaming at eachother then WHAM the whole kiss thing, I decided a more subtle approach was better. As for the rape thing, that'll have to wait till the next chapter. oh and yeah, I lied, Sakura's still Sasuke's teacher hehe...

So I hope you all liked that and now here's the preveiw of the next chapter.

Chapter 9- Define Me

- Sakura has to tell Nira that she was wrong to have said yes (oh my)

- Sasuke wants a definition on what he and Sakura have become

- A stanger tries to hurt Sakura after a drunken night at the bar

- BUH BUH BUH SASUKE TO THE RESCUE!!!

yeah and all that jazz... there's more but then there would be nothing to hold you to this story haha I should have this next chapter out by next week!

hope you all enjoyed!

-Black


	9. Define Me

**♥Caricatures of Intimacy♥**

Chapter 9- Define Me

**_With life, there are always decisions to be made, but what happens when those decisions interfere with how you want to feel about something. Could choices change how you see someone and possibly alter how you wanted to see them in your mind? Sakura and Sasuke learn the hard way that sometimes you can't really choose who you fall in love with. It just happens._ **☼

* * *

**_Misleadings..._**

It had only been a few days after the Halloween party and Sakura and Sasuke both were feeling the tention between them. It was harder to concentate now that their feelings were out in the open. But thanks to the colder weather, they could no longer train at the spring, for which Sakura was very thankful. Seeing Sasuke peel his shirt from his toned upper body still made her dizzy with the same butterflies she got when they had kissed. Supressing her secret desires to kiss him again was something more difficult than the training she had been pushing him through each day.

As for Sasuke, he felt as though he could walk on air. Everything seemed to come a little easier each day. From training in the morning till the late afternoon with Sakura, to walking home together. It was more than he really expected would happen. Honestly, he thought she would turn in disgust at the fact he didn't hate her, but felt something more for her. But to have her not only return his kiss, but to tell him that she really didn't hate him. It was progress.

He hoped one day she would tell him how she really felt about him. Maybe he would find the courage to do so first. But till that day came, he was glad to just have her company. And so here they were, sitting in the grass at the side of the small stream that ran through the training grounds. Meditating was always his favorite part of their time together. It was quiet and peacful in the evening, when the sun was dipping below the horizon. It was just them, sitting side by side in silence, taking in the crisp November air.

On this particular day, Naruto and Neji happened to be passing by, wondering where Sasuke had wandered off to. They had plans to meet at the bar, and Sasuke was ten minutes late. They had searched his house, the ramen shop, where they happened to get sidetracked by Naruto's ever grumbling stomach, then the training grounds. Spotting the dark haired boy sitting beside Sakura was strange, but not as strange as the smile he wore.

" Doesn't Sasuke hate Sakura?"

Neji shrugged, curious as to the change in Sasuke's attitude. Naruto followed suit and continued toward their meditating friend.

" Hey Sasuke!"

Sasuke's eyes opened a crack to watch Neji and Naruto make their way across the bridge. He groaned, disturbing Sakura from her meditations.

" What is it Sasuke?"

" I think I forgot about prior engagements again," he laughed as Sakura looked around, seeing Naruto and Neji approach. She stood and dusted herself off as they stopped beside the two, waiting for Sasuke's explaination.

" Where have you been? We've looking all over for you?" Naruto waved his finger in Sasuke's face, only to have it smacked away.

" I've been training, what do you think I was doing?"

Naruto pouted, his eyes narrowed. " What, you train _every_ day? Do you ever give him time to have a life Sakura?"

Sakura giggled as he turned his puppy dog eyes to her.

" Now Naruto, you know Sasuke has to pass the entrance exams to ANBU. I doubt going with you two to fool around or get drunk or whatever it is you do," she waved her hand in the air carelessly and Naruto sighed in defeat, " would benefit Sasuke in any way. That is, unless you want to train with us too?"

Naruto put his hands before him, shaking his head as he backed away.

" Sorry Sakura, but I've heard of your training techniques. I'll stick to my own plan, thanks."

She nodded with a smile. Her teachings were concidered the hardest to grasp. Alot of jounin refused to train along side her long, rigourous schedules and energy depleting exercises. A day with her would leave even the most skilled ninja out of breathe. But what didn't kill her students made them stronger, a fact she was determined to prove when Sasuke took the tests for ANBU.

" So is he done for the day?"

Sakura stared at Naruto, shaking her head.

" I don't see why not. It's not like I'm his mother. He's free to go anyways, training ended when you two interupted us."

Naruto smile widened as Sasuke got to his feet. Sasuke's dark eyes leapt from Naruto's to Sakura's. For the most part, he really wanted her to say they weren't done. But then again, he was tired and more training would be over doing it. But something told him he couldn't leave Sakura alone for the evening. Not just the part that wanted to be with her, but something nagged at him.

" Sakura, you want to come with us to the bar for a couple of drinks?"

Sakura's eyes widened. This was the first time Sasuke had made an offer like that to her in front of his friends. It had seemed things had definitely changed since their kiss. She smiled and nodded.

" Sure, that sounds great. I mean, if you two don't mind," Sakura added as she turned to Naruto and Neji. But they just stared at Sasuke, Naruto's mouth hanging slightly agape.

" Dobe, she's talking to you," Sasuke spat, hating the fact he was ignoring Sakura. Naruto blinked before turning to Sakura then back to Sakura.

" Did you just- did you..." he stuttered, trying to make sense of the abnormally kind Uchiha. He looked normal enough, same spikey black hair, scowl was still in place, his hands stuck in his pocket as he stared with his dark eyes. Yeah that was Sasuke. But something was amiss. Since when did Sasuke ask Sakura to do anything with him?

" Uh yeah, it's cool with us!" he said quickly, still scratching his head thoughtfully.

" Well then, let's go," Sasuke said, Sakura walking beside him. Naruto and Neji strayed behind for the most part. Seeing Sasuke and Sakura getting along was not only weird, but totally unexpected. Naruto was sure they would hate each other that much more as time grew on. But instead, here they were, walking together and laughing like best friends. But the way they would smile and look at one another, Naruto could tell that something more was at work.

Neji and Naruto kept a close eye on the two as they entered the bar and took a seat at a tall table in the dimly lit corner of the stuffy room. Sakura and Sasuke took the seats across from Naruto and Neji, sitting oddly close and talking like school girls. Honestly the whole thing creeped him out. Maybe the fact he wasn't used to seeing them so civil to one another was what bothered him, but he couldn't help the odd sensation that Sasuke had somehow fallen for Sakura. He had never seen Sasuke so engaged in a simple talk over jutsu's as he was now.

" Well if you really want to improve your skills Sasuke, and that's a definite if. You've come a long way since we first started training," Sakura said smiling. Sasuke felt the heat rise to his face and he cleared his throat and looked away. If he didn't cool it, Naruto may think something was up. His eyes met the fox boys and he frowned. It looked as though Naruto wasn't so unobservant after all.

A knowing smile was plastered to his face as he raised his eyebrow. Sasuke sent him a warning glare and Naruto shifted in his seat, his eyes darting away from Sasuke's narrowed dark eyes.

" Yeah so anyways Sasuke, how's practice these days? I hear Sakura works you like a dog," Naruto said carefully after clearing his throat.

Sasuke grumbled something but it failed to make sense to anyone at the table. Naruto watched Sasuke for a moment then shrugged. Maybe Sasuke was sick or something. Or maybe Sakura was an alien who implanted a radio devise in Sasuke's head and now he was this absurdly polite zombie sitting and drinking sake with them. Naruto shook his head. Of course not. If Sakura was really an alien, she would have tried to turn Sasuke into a zombie a long time ago.

Without knowing, Naruto let out a nervous chuckle.

" What's with you?" Sasuke grumbled as Sakura giggled beside him.

" Robot zombies...I mean, you know, stuff," Naruto stuttered quickly before drowning his mouth with the sake in front of him. Sasuke sighed and sat back in his seat. He figured it would be alot more fun since Sakura was here, but the simple fact that Naruto and Neji were here ruined the moment. And no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't help his eyes from roaming over to her.

She ran her finger over the rim of her sake glass, her nails a delicate shade of pink. Her ANBU shirt hugged her upper body neatly to her curves, the contrast of her porcelain skin against the dark black fabric made for a perfect distraction. Her smooth leg rubbed his breifly and he caught his breath. Her shorts rode just above her mid thigh, her satchel on her right leg pressed against his own. She made small talk with Neji, her finger twirling a strand of her bubblegum hair. Neji made a witty comment and her pink lips parted, revealing her bright and even teeth.

" Hey Sasuke?"

His onyx eyes darted from Sakura. Without realizing it, he had been staring at Sakura He was positive the others had noticed by now. He turned away from Sakura casually, but he was sure it didn't matter. Naruto had already noticed he was distracted by Sakura earlier. Sasuke prayed silently that he wouldn't say anything stupid.

" Can I talk to you over at the bar?"

Sasuke nodded, his heart slowing its pace after the horrible thought of Naruto saying anything that might reveal his careless eyes wandering over Sakura's body. They both scooted out of the booth, signaling they would be back. Sakura frowned and watched as they left, but figured it was just one of those things and went back to her conversation with Neji. Sasuke followed Naruto through the cluttered tables till they found two empty stools at the bar. Naruto looked over at Sasuke, who kept his eyes adverted, seemingly more interested in the wooded pattern of the bar's counter.

" What's with you lately?"

Sasuke's eyes jumped up to meet Naruto's gaze. It was becoming harder and harder to hide this. He was so distracted by Sakura's leg brushing his, the blush on his face had probably told Naruto all he needed to know.

" Nothing. Why do you ask?"

Naruto's blue eyes narrowed. " You're horrible at lying. How many times do I have to tell you?"

Sasuke tried to swallow the lump that had formed in his throat, but he couldn't seem to stop, let alone prevent, the slight panic and nervous sweat that was forming in his clenched fists. Naruto eyes seemed to drown him in their depths. It was maddening. He could see his face clearly in Naruto's eyes. His dark eyes, although glazed with passivity, hinted a trace of nervousness.

" Look, I don't want to discuss it with you. It's nothing, okay. So drop it," he growled. Naruto frowned. Unusually hostile, but then again, Sasuke wasn't what you called friendly. Naruto kept his sideways gaze on him as Sasuke itched in his seat. And then there it was. The small flicker of his eyes as they darted over Sakura then back to the counter was unmistakable. Sakura looked away from Neji to meet Sasuke's quick glance and she politely excused herself from the table as Sasuke's eyes retreated. Apparently Sasuke hadn't seen her get up so she made her way carefully over to the two sitting at the bar.

" Oh I see what this is. Heh, I'm surprised I didn't see it earlier. You like Sakura," Naruto chuckled, causing Sakura to stop in her tracks. Her breath hitched and she wrung her hands in front of her, her wide green eyes studying Sasuke's backside as he straightened in his seat. His posture was stiff and she could see his fingers scratching at the smoothly polished wood of the counter top.

" I don't give a shit about her. She's my teacher. I'm just being nice so she doesn't bust my ass during training, " Sasuke growled, his voice low, but some how his cutting words seemed to echo through the room, vibrating inside Sakura's mind. His fists clenched, his nails biting into his skin.

" Oh good. I thought you had lost your mind for a moment. The way you were acting, I was begining to think you loved her or something stupid like that."

Sakura felt the cold sting of rejection hit her hard, a bitter taste forming in her mouth as she stayed rooted to the floor.

" Don't be stupid. She's not worth my time."

Sakura narrowed her eyes. So that kiss was nothing to him. Just a way to woo her. The pain of breathing lessened as she cursed her stupidity. How could she have ever let herself feel guilty for kissing Nira? She should have told Sasuke to get the fuck over it. She should have never gone against the standards she had always set for herself. Instead of letting the sickening feeling of Sasuke's words settle with her, she picked herself up and made her way to the two, her elbow hitting Sasuke's side as she sat down in a seat at the bar.

As her eyes met his, she could see the color leave his face as she scowled at him.

**' Hn, look at his face. He never betrays those stone cold emotions. What a show.'** Sakura tore her eyes from his gaze. His dark eyes seemed to plead with her. But if he wasn't going to say anything, why should she? Instead, she signalled the bartender. The dirty man behind the counter sauntered over and leaned toward her with a leer on his grimey face.

" What can I get you, pretty miss?"

" Give me the strongest thing you've got. And don't screw me over," she replied with a smile, sweet but malicious. The man hesitated but retreated to the wall of alchohol, returning with a black bottle and a shot glass.

" Go easy miss, it's the most toxic stuff we got," he warned as he set the two before her. Sakura shrugged and pulled the cork from the bottle. A sour smell filled her nose and she sighed. Konoha's best. She doubted it. But she tipped the bottle, letting the blood red liquid fill her glass. She stared at the shot glass, filled and ready for downing. Some how she knew getting drunk was no way to forget about Sasuke's cruel words. But right now she felt empty. Maybe if she drank enough, it would fill her up. She didn't mind the reprecusions she was sure that would come to bite her in the ass later.

" Sakura, you're not really going to drink that, are you?"

Sakura's head snapped toward Sasuke. He returned her glare with a completely flawless expression. She laughed in his face, just as he thought she might.

" Of course I am. Why would I have asked for it if I didn't want it?"

He knew she was refering to him. The real question she was posing was why he had kissed her if he had just said he didn't care about her. He silenced his protests, knowing they would only raise Naruto's suspicions. He watched as she grabbed the glass, lifted it gingerly to her lips and tipped her head back, draining the liquid from the glass in one gulp. She repeated the process three times before Sasuke reached out and took the bottle from her hand. She shot him an angry look, but he ignored it and snatched the glass from her other hand.

She swiveled in her chair clumsily, trying to snatch back the bottle, but he set it behind him, blocking her from reaching it. At this point she could feel the warm sensation of the alchohol's potentcy sweeping through her body. She growled low in her throat as he sat between her and the one things she was craving. Forgetfulness. She grew angry as she saw his mouth twisted in a sneer as she tried once more to reach the bottle behind him..

" Wh-wh-hick-what are you doing Sasuke?"

" You've had enough Sakura."

She stood and forcfully pushed her chair back, the clatter of it hitting the floor causing the room to go silent and all attention to focus on her.

" I'll tell you when I've-hick- had enough, you asshole! And I've had more than enough of your shit! Ju-hick-just leave me the fuck alone!" she screamed as he reached out for her, grasping her arm as she stumbled backwards.

" Get your fucking hands off me!" she yelled as she swung her hand at his face, her fist colliding with his cheek. He released her arm, holding his hand to his face as blood ran from a cut her nail had left on his face. He remained unmoved as she stared at him with wide, panicked eyes, watching the blood flow from the gash on his face before she broke for the door. She pushed past the bystanders, the tinkling of glass resounding behind her as she ran into a waitress on her way through the entrance.

She fell into the street, her knees hitting the hard pavement. She struggled to control her wobbling legs as she rose and stumbled down the dark lamplit street. Her fingers groped at the stone walls of the buildings she passed. As her heartbeat settled, she slowed to a drunken saunter, her hands hanging loosely by her side.

" What have I done...that bastard. He -hick- made me do this," she slurred angrily as she wandered aimlesly into an alleyway, determined to get back to her apartment. Her fingers slid over the grimey walls, the soot from the crowding buildings rubbing off on her hands as she steadied herself. Her feet seemed to be on a path all themselves and her body was just along for the ride.

As she teetered down the alleyway, she wasn't aware of a mysterious form entering the alley way. She couldn't feel the small pinpricks of alarms that went off in her mind. She couldn't hear the shuffle of heavy footsteps as she swayed uneasily further down the dark abyss. It was only till a hand grasped her upper arm roughly did she snap out of her drunken stuppor. Her anger, somewhat settled after her walk, was instantly triggered and she moved to punch at her captor in the same fashion she had done to Sasuke. Only this time, she found herself immediately pinned against the nearest wall, the cold stone biting against her flesh.

" Get off me," she growled, her knees wobbling as she tried again and again to find the strength to pull herself from whom ever's hold on her. But the more she struggled, the more her body was pressed against the wall. Her skin grew frigid as her bare thighs hit the wall and her arms were pinned over her head, her obviously larger foe pressing his body against hers to hold her in place. Sakura could feel his excitement as she struggled against him. His hips dug painfully into her back and she groaned from the bitter cold that stung her face, arms and legs.

" That's right baby, keep twisting around. I like it when you struggle."

Sakura's senses, although blurred from the alchohol, were sent into red alert. Whoever this man was, his intentions with her were not of the safe kind. Although her mind was aware of the danger she was confronted with, her body refused to put up a fight sufficient enough to escape. She opened her mouth, her last resort to find a rescuer, but her screams were silenced as his large hand slapped over her parted lips.

" Don't even try. If you think you're going to get away, you've got another thing coming bitch."

Sakura could feel his hand leave her mouth, trusting she wouldn't try to scream again. His hand trailed down her back, over her hips and around her thighs. She shivered and squirmed as his sickenigly hot hand ran over her bare thighs, his fingers groping at the hem of her shorts. She sighed as his hand left her skin, but she was too quick to relax as she felt the hug of her shorts loosen, the sound of ripping fabric overpowering the sound of her struggling breath.

The cool metal of a kunai met her inner thigh and she wimpered as it cut away at the clothe. Her legs shook uncontrolably as the kunai's harsh touch was replaced by the man's fingers again. She forced her legs together tightly, fearing that it would be too late before someone would save her from this horrible nightmare she was trapped in. But a sharp pain suddenly burst from her behind her knees as her captor rammed his leg between hers, pressing his knee further beween her own.

She fought with what little strength she had as he firmly held her legs open with his knee, his hand free to roam wherever it pleased. Hot, salty tears began running down her face as his fingers traced over the lace of the panties she wore beneath her shorts, feeling him lift the fabric around her backside to caress her bottom. She bit her lip, thrashing back and forth, but his laughter only rang out as his fingers slipped underneath the fabric, inching further and further between her legs. Sakura opened her mouth one last time, knowing he would cut her throat for disobeying him.

But as her shill scream broke the still air, she felt her captor's hands pull away, freeing her hands from above her head. He backed away slowly, clumsily, his leg pulling out from between hers. She spun around, her hands grasping at the satchel on her thigh, but her mouth fell open as she saw Sasuke, a kunai to an unknown man's throat. His Sharingan gleamed, the only light to be held besides the pale glow of the moon streaming overhead.

" Sa-Sa..."

Her vision blackened, her legs shook unsteadily as her knees buckled as she fell forward into Sasuke's outstretched arms. Naruto and Neji came running up the alley way as soon as Sakura's captor was freed. As the man broke for a run, he found himself pinned by the two ninja. Sasuke nodded at the two and they closed in, grasping the man by each arm and dragged him off.

" I'll take Sakura home, you two make sure he finds his punishment," Sasuke growled, his eyes returning to normal. The two nodded then dissapeared with their prisoner and Sasuke finally looked down at Sakura's fear stricken face. Her eyes were clenched closed, her lashes fanned over her tear stained cheeks. Her thighs were forming bruises at the knees and her shorts were ripped and torn, revealing her lacy red panties beneath. The terror on her face was the worst of all.

If he hadn't hesitated on going after her, he might have prevented this. If he had never said what he did in the bar to Naruto, she would have never gotten drunk. She would be right where she belonged, by his side, safe and sound. But instead, here she was, passed out in his arms in the bitter cold, terrified and nearly...

**'No. I prevented that man from hurting Sakura worse than he did.'** Sasuke shook his head and brushed a strand of hair from her face, seeing her relax as his warm fingers traced over her jaw line.

A single snow flake floated down from the grey sky over head, the clouds ready to burst with the first winter's snow. Sasuke pulled Sakura to him and lifted her carefully, making his way quickly to his apartment as the snow began to fall silently around them.

* * *

**_Healing The Wounds..._**

Sakura lay asleep in Sasuke's bed, her shivering body wrapped in numerous blankets, her face slick with sweat and her eyes clenched closed as small chills crawled up and down her skin.. She tossed onto her side slowly, finding a terrible pain in her legs. She squeezed her eyelids shut tightly before blinking, finding her surroundings unfamiliar and strange. The smell in the air was not the one she was familiar with waking up to. Nor was the extreme pain in her legs or the cold chills that ran up and down her body.

She whimpered as her stomach lurched, her mouth tasting of stale sake. Her head trobbed painfully as she tried to sit up, but she found herself pushed gently back down. A hand directed her head to lay comfortably atop a pillow, fingers sweeping her hair from her face. Her eyes cracked open as the hand was retracted and her emerald gaze came to rest on Sasuke who sat beside her. His face was stern, his eyes full of concern.

" Sasuke?"

His eyes met hers and he smiled weakly. He looked tired, dark circles under his eyes reveling his lack of sleep. She ignored his protests as she sat back up, adjusting herself to sit comfortably against the headrest.

" Sakura, how are you feeling?"

She shook her head, but stopped as her temples throbbed with pain. Her fingers inched into her hair and she closed her eyes. Honestly she felt like shit, but she felt that Sasuke had worried enough about her. She faked a weak smile and grasped his hand gently.

" I'm feeling fine, thank you."

Sasuke's face relaxed but his eyes never left hers. He bit his lips hesitantly, his fingers linking through hers. Sakura felt her face flush with excitement from his touch. He moved closer, his lips touching her cheek breifly before he pulled back.

" Sasuke, I thought we said-" Sakura started, but Sasuke rose his hand to silence her.

" I know, but after finding you last night... I can't help but feel this way Sakura. I'm terrified to let you out of my sight."

She stared back at him with wide green eyes. Amongst her others ailments, she felt the dizzying confusion. Things just didn't add up.

" But I thought you wanted nothing to do with me."

Sasuke frowned and his head drooped, his eyes roaming over their intertwined fingers. His thumb ran lightly over the back of her hand, melting her from the inside out.

" I never meant for you to hear that Sakura. I just couldn't have Naruto thinking that..."

She understood now why he had said the things he had. If Naruto found out that there was more to their relationship, it would be all over Konoha the next day. Sakura would have to resign as Sasuke's teacher and it would cause more unwanted attention than they were willing to accept. She squeezed his hand and he looked back up at her with his onyx eyes.

" I know you didn't mean it Sasuke. I was being so stupid," she sighed with a slight smile. For the first time since she woke up, she noticed the small bandage across Sasuke's face. She knew that was the spot where she had left her mark when she had fought with him back in the bar. She reached up to touch it, her fingers running over the white gauze carefully.

" I'm sorry about the way I acted Sasuke. It was irresponsible. I never meant to hurt you."

Sasuke merely chuckled. " It was one hell of a punch, I'll give you that."

Sakura giggled, but her laughter turned to coughing. She retracted her hand from Sasuke's to hold her side as she coughed. As it settled she sighed uneasily.

" I think I got sick," she said in a hoarse voice. Sasuke set his hand on her forehead, her skin sweltering hot.

" You have a fever," he stated bluntly, taking a clothe from a bowl beside the bed. Ringing it out, he set the folded clothe atop her brow. The cool sensation from the contact of the wet rag on her skin made her exhale with releif. Her eyes roamed over Sasuke. He sat in pajama pants, a deep blue that complemented his skin. His torso was bare and Sakura let her gaze wander over his muscled chest and arms.

" What? Is something wrong?"

Sakura looked away, her face stained with a blush.

" It's not that. I guess I havn't seen you like this in awhile. It still catches me off guard."

" Well you're no better," he stated with a sly smile. Sakura realized not only was she in his bed, but in his night shirt. She felt her face grow hot as she lifted the sheets to see only her red pantied on her lower half. She also noticed her bra was missing under the silk shirt she wore. Her face was now the perfect shade of red. Her face burned with embarassment as she buried her face in her hands.

" How much did you see?"

Sasuke laughed, seeing the mortification on her face as she looked up at him with her curious jade eyes.

" Nothing. Well, besides your panties that is. I changed your shirt carefully. I didn't see anything," he said with a genuine smile. Sakura sighed, still a bit flustered. What would it have been like to have been concious when he had stripped her of her clothes? Sakura looked away as the lewd thoughts began streaming into her mind. But she still couldn't stop the horror of earlier that night from being played over and over in her mind.

" I guess it doesn't matter about the panties. I just thank god you were there to stop that man," she said as her eyes drooped. She felt soo filthy after having that man touch her. She vowed if their paths ever crossed again, she would kill him for disgracing her.

Sasuke watched as her eyes grew stormy, her emerald orbs glazing over with a layer of tears. He reached out as she looked up at him and she fell forward into his arms, clinging to him as her tears slipped from her eyes, falling onto his bare torso. Her soft sobs broke Sasuke's heart. She was terrified. If he hadn't shown up when he had, Sakura might not be here, holding him as she shed her tears. He ran his hand up her back, his fingers running through her hair.

" Sasuke, I w-was so scared I would die. That m-man could have done anyth-thing to me," she sobbed as her hands wrapped arond his neck. She moved forward, climbing from the sheets to sit on his crossed legs atop the foot of the bed. Sasuke caught his breath. Sakura's hands ran over his bare chest, her fingers tracing circles over his collar bone.

" I didn't want to miss this, Sasuke... not without you knowing how I feel," she sighed, the last tear running down her cheek. She looked up at him as his hands moved down her back, holding her waist as she sidled against him comfortably. Her eyes closed and Sasuke could feel his stomach swim with butterflies. She lifted her lips to his, leaving a light kiss on his mouth.

She missed this feeling, wanted it since the moment at the springs a few months ago. And now that it was happening again, she didn't want to ignore the feelings she had for Sasuke. His hand reached up to cradle the back of her head as his lips pressed against hers soflty. Her mouth opened slightly as the rhythm of their kissed grew slowly more feverish. His tongue swept through her parted lips and she sighed as she returned the gesture, feeling his free hand run along her thigh. She adjusted her position, stradling his hips as he leaned back and uncrossed his legs. His fingers dug lightly into the soft skin around her hips, pulling her atop him as he fell backward.

Sakura let a small whimper escape her mouth as his fingers smoothed over the flat plane of her abdomen to the buttons of his shirt hanging loosely off her shoulders. Everything was going faster than she had thought. Of course she wanted this. But was it too soon? Hadn't they vowed to stop their antics until Sasuke's ANBU final was over. But of course this was her fault for kissing him first. Sakura regretingly pulled her lips from his and caught her breath, Sasuke inhaling slowly to quiet his rampant heartbeat.

" Is something wrong?" Sasuke's dark eyes made her lips tingle with the chance to go further, to just give in. But she knew it was wrong to keep distracting Sasuke with her desires.

" No, no. I think we should just slow down," she replied, biting her lower lip with a smile. Sasuke's hands returned to her hips as he sat up, Sakura coming to sit atop his legs. Her messy hair surrounded her face, her innocent expression twisting his self control. He wanted to show her what his fantasies showed him, but he knew it was far too soon for that.

" You have to be hungry after all the alchohol you've had. Do you want some breakfast?"

" Breakfast, isn't it-" she stopped midsentence as she looked out the window. The low blue hue of morning was creeping through the glass panes and she giggled. " Looks like I've been out for awhile. Breakfast sounds nice."

Sasuke kissed her lips then let her crawl off his lap to allow him to head to the kitchen to start their meal. As she listened to his fumblings and occasional string of cursing from stubbing his toe of dropping something, she looked around her surroundings, liking what she was seeing. She had really only been in Sasuke's apartment a few times, and only once in his bedroom.

And now she was lying wrapped up in his sheets, half naked as he made her breakfast. It was a little too much to absorb, but she went with it. It felt so good to be sitting in his warm bedroom, lying in his bed with the silk blue blankets keeping her company. She rose quietly, ignoring the pounding of her head and walked out of the bedroom to find Sasuke tring to find something in a lower cupboard. She watched as he crouched and ducked his head into the small space, his hands shuffling things aside as he rummaged through random pots and pans.

She decided to do a little snooping herself and quickly retreated back to the bedroom as Sasuke pulled his head back from the cabinet, holding a frying pan in his hand. As she tiptoed back to the bedroom, she could hear the faint humming of Sasuke coming from the kitchen and she giggled. Maybe this is what she had been missing this whole time. With all the romance books she had read and wasted time wishing and hoping for a similar happy ending, she had never really focused on her own love life. Not that it was a problem, but with Sasuke around, Sakura was begining to grow fond of the feeling of someone elses hands holding her, someone's lips touching hers.

But with so many things in the way, she had to stop a moment to wonder, could it really work? She and Sasuke were enemies, and for completely rediculous reasons, they hated eachother. Sakura still felt slightly ashamed of the way they used to bicker. But finding the old days behind them, she wondered, what would their future be like in a few short months?

She wondered if Sasuke felt the same way.

* * *

**_Author's Notes-_**

Okay, well that one was different. Fun and stuff, but yes, very different. Alot more action between the two I should say, but there's still the hesitation. The rape scene was, um, actually it was pretty interesting to write. I had the whole idea and it came out just as I wanted it to. The man has no purpose in the story, he's no one important. Honestly I couldn't make it Nira. And speaking of him, he'll be in the next chapter. I just didn't find a place to smoosh him in.

Anyways, on to the next chapter reveiw.

Chapter 10- Hidden Intentions

- Sakura grows restless, trying to choose between what's right for Sasuke's ANBU career or what she desires from him

- Sasuke tries to get Sakura to give into saying what it is that she wants for herself, for them

- Nira confronts Sakura about the mistakes she's making with Sasuke

- Decisions must be made before it's too late

Welp yeah. That's all you get. Just some little tidbits to keep you biting. Hopefully it's enough. Drama. hehe

Thanks for reading! And I do hope you enjoyed the chapter!!

-Black


	10. Hidden Intentions

**♥Caricatures of Intimacy♥**

Chapter 10- Hidden Intentions

**_With life, there are always decisions to be made, but what happens when those decisions interfere with how you want to feel about something. Could choices change how you see someone and possibly alter how you wanted to see them in your mind? Sakura and Sasuke learn the hard way that sometimes you can't really choose who you fall in love with. It just happens._ **☼

* * *

**_Wanderings..._**

Sakura stood up, dusting her backside off after the short flight through the air after being hit with a rather painful blow from Sasuke. He grinned triumphantly from across the battle field, his arms still held defensively in front of him. A small trickle of blood ran down his arm, a cut etched up his muscular forearm. Sakura wiped her blood stained kunai off on her shorts before lunging at him again, her feet moving swiftly as she ducked and dodged the assault sent her way from the determined Uchiha. He quickly countered her swipes with the steely blade, his moves smooth and languid.

Sakura inwardly smiled at Sasuke's increased speed and precision. He was becoming a difficult opponent, even for her. With training being their main focus for the last few days, Sasuke had been showing incredible progress. His speed now surpassed her own and his chakra balance was now perfected. The only thing left was for him to actually pin Sakura and win his first spar against her. As the snow drifted around them, they moved silently but deadly throught the late November atmosphere.

The land was painted a crystal white, everything glittering and bright. Even on the sunny day as the one they were in today, the snow still swept down from the grey skies above. Sakura skidded through the white blanket, sending a spray of powder around her as she summoned her chakra to her hands and forced a large portion of the earth at Sasuke. His hands moved lightning fast, forming blurred seals before emitting an enormous blast of fire from his mouth, crushing the boulder on its collision course with him and continuing forward, threatening to engulf Sakura.

She quickly leapt into the safety of a nearby tree as the flames incinerated the ground around the base of her shelter. Her skin tingled as her alarms went off. She quickly swung her arm around in defense as Sasuke's fist threatened to strike her side. Their arms collided painfully, the force of both their blows knocking them apart. Sakura fell from the tree, spinning neatly before landing in a crouch. Sasuke mimicked her movements before racing at her, never missing a beat as she defended herself from his attacks.

As his fists rained upon her body, she realized she was being pushed farther back than intended. She spied the flash of a string reflected in the light and swore before her foot triggered the trap, a barage of kunai sent flying at her from the tree canopy overhead. As Sasuke backed away, waiting for his trap to catch her, he noticed a small smile on her lips, and as the first of the kunai hit her body, she vanished in a burst of cherry blossom petals.

Sasuke turned circles before finding her directly infront of him, a kunai held up to his throat. He sighed and smiled in defeat before she lowered her weapon and backed away. Sasuke noted the kunai sticking jaggedly from her arm and winced. So it wasn't a substitution jutsu after all.

" Sakura, you're wounded pretty badly," he said finally, approaching her carefully. She shrugged, her finger wrapping around the kunai burried in her shoulder and with a tug and a grimace of pain, tore the weapon from her skin. The blood followed in swift torrents, running down her arm in a slow stream. Sasuke moved forward to help, but Sakura set her hand over her wound and the blood flow ceased, the skin knitting together beneather her palm.

" There, good as new," she remarked as she fingered the tender skin, no sign of scarring. Sasuke bit his lip. She did manage to close the wound, but she also lost a lot of blood.

" Are you sure you're okay. You're soaked with blood," he started but she laughed.

" I'm fine Sasuke. I'm used to wounds like this. I can't tell you how many times I've had to heal myself during battle."

Sasuke examined the blood soaked snow around her feet, the drying blood caked to her arm. She noticed his concerned eyes as they roamed over her shoulder.

" Sasuke?"

His eyes met hers and a small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. She grinned back at him before she shivered, goose bumps raised on her flesh. Sasuke felt the sudden shift in atmosphere and glanced around before noticing a small whirlwind of snow growing around them. Sakura moved forward, turning her back to Sasuke's as she pulled a handful of shuriken from her satchel.

The wind increased in intensity and Sakura felt her balance sway as the gale surrounded them, the snow obscuring her vision from the rest of the feild around them. She glanced back at Sasuke, who's determined eyes searched the snowy white walls that gravitated around them. As far as his eyes could see, there was nothing out of the ordinary, but giant tornados of snow didn't just appear on their own. With a surge of chakra, his eyes lit a fiery red, the comas swirling around his irises as he examined their prison.

At the far end of the feild, he spotted a lone figure, hands forming seals in their direction. Sasuke nodded to Sakura who prepared herself for battle as Sasuke's hands moved in blinding handsigns. As his mouth opened, a spout of fire erupted from his throat, the deafening roar of flame hitting the snow baracade blocking out all other noise. Sakura waited for the gap in the snow to appear before targetting the enemy outside.

As soon as the figure came into her veiw, she sent her shuriken through the gap in the snow created from Sasuke's jutsu. With a controlled amount of chakra linked to the shukiken, she guided them with blazing speed to the person at the other end of the feild. In a flash of light, he was gone and the snow ceased its churning to fall soundlessly to the ground. Sakura and Sasuke prepared for an attack, but after a few moments of stillness, they lowered their weapons.

" That was... weird," Sakura said quietly, her keen eyes still searching for traces of their attacker. But all that could be seen was a gap in the ground free of snow where they stood. Sakura hesitantly returned her kunai to her satchel before scratching her head thoughtfully. The only person she could think of that knew that sort of attack was...

Sakura shook her head.

" Naw it couldn't be," she mumbled as she took one last look around the vacant feild.

" Couldn't be what?"

" I was just thinking about those who can perform jutsu like this. But the only answer that's coming up is... Nira," she replied, her sea foam eyes glinting with hidden nervousness. Sasuke gritted his teeth, his fists clenched. Sasuke didn't have to think twice about his next move. He was goind to find Nira and confront him about his actions. Forcefully. It wasn't just jealously that was boiling up, it was the fact he had tried to hurt him and more importantly, Sakura.

Sakura must have sensed his anger, for her hand reached out and grasped his fist. She soothingly moved closer, her other hand sliding up his arm. Her eyes darted from their hands to his eyes so seductively, his fist unclenched and her fingers snuck into the gaps between his.

" Don't go after him Sasuke. I want to be the one to talk with him." Her voice was low and soft, her breath sweeping over his skin like a gentle breeze. She leaned up and left a small kiss on his cheek before releasing his hand and backing away to dissapear in a flurry of brilliant pink petals. Sasuke watched silently as they drifted on the wind, littering the ground delicately. His eyes reverted back to the village across the feild and he hesitantly made his way through the snowy ground.

Something in Nira's actions didn't settle right with him and he decided it would be wise to be trailing Sakura's movements when she found Nira.The only thing that stood in his way was the throngs of people out in the bustling village and a million places he could possibly find them.

**_Unpleasantries..._**

Sakura roamed the vacant street. For reasons she couldn't fathom, Nira attacked her and Sasuke. She did feel bad about leaving him with no explaination at the Halloween party. But it was at least 2 weeks after that had happened. He couldn't still be mad after she ran out on him, could he? And attacking her because of it was a little extreme, right?

Sakura wandered, casually unaware of the dark shadow following her along the rooftops of the buildings lining the street. As silently as he could, Sasuke crept along the tiled roof. He had finally found her. After searching every alley way, shop, and park, he had finally managed to catch a glimpse of her bright bubblegum hair in the croud. She walked slowly, seemingly pondering about what to say to Nira when she would find him. Sasuke made sure to be right by her side if things turned for the worse. Anyone crazy enough to attack her for rejecting them had to have a few wires loose.

Meanwhile, Sakura continued to make her way through the throng of people, her shoulder getting hit more than once. She gritted her teeth as she tried to forgive the rude people brushing past her rather harshly. Finally the croud began to die down as she reached the pub. And to her surprise, Nira stood outside, leaning against the railing of the overhang, chatting animatedly with a local kunoichi.

Sakura felt nervous as her words she had calculated in her mind began to tumble over on another in a jumbled mess. Now seemed like the perfect time to dissapear and have Sasuke take her place. But too late. Nira's eyes swept the street and came to rest on her. She bit her lip as she remained slowly mobile, watched as he shooed the kunoichi with a casual wave of his hand. The woman pouted before turning around and stalking off angrily.

As he approached, she took the time to rethink what she was going to say to him. But before her plan was ready, he was right before her. With an uncomfortable exchange of pleasantries, he wasted no time in getting straight to the matter at hand.

" I see you've been spending a lot of time with Sasuke since the party,' he said mockingly, his arms crossed at his chest. Sakura flushed and looked at her feet.** ' Why the hell are his words getting under my skin. It's no big deal. I'll just tell him I really don't have feelings for him. What can he do?'**

" I wanted to ask you where you were this morning," she said boldly as she looked back up into his eyes. He narrowed his eyes and stepped forward. Sakura's eyes shot open and she stepped back in alarm.

" What's wrong Sakura, afraid to say anything now that Sasuke's not here to save you?"

" I don't need Sasuke to rescue me," she hissed defensively, standing her ground as he came closer. He stopped a hair short from knocking her over. Had no one heard their angry words, they might think the two were lovers from the more than friendly proximity. Sakura glared up at Nira as his leer hovered in her face.

" I think I might have been around this morning," he said sneering, " but where exactly? I can't remember."

Sakura smiled. Nira certaily wasn't the guy who she thought he was. She realized things were getting a little out of control. His menacing smile sent a shiver down her spine and she backed away slowly. She could always come back when she had Sasuke with her.

" Oh well, since you dont' remember, I suppose I should get going."

His hand shot out to grab her arm roughly as she turned to leave. Her wide frightened eyes met his scowling face as she tugged her arm, trying to free herself from his painful grip. She grimaced as his fingers closed tighter about her arm, his nails biting into her skin.

" Let me go," she demanded harshly. He lifted his head, a sick smile on his face.

" And what if I don't," he spat venomously as he squeezed her arm harder. Sakura bit back a yelp as she was sure he was bruising her flesh. Her other hand gripped his as she tried her hardest to pull free, but she miscalculated his strength and found herself defensless against him. **' Oh Sasuke, I wish you were here,' **she though with panic bubbling in her uneasy stomach.

" I said let me go," she said, her voice rising with her fright. He pulled her swiftly to him, his other hand wrapping around her waist.

" Why did you leave me there Sakura. To chase after Sasuke? To tell him what a mistake you made saying yes to me? To toy with my feelings?"

His voice grew somber and she relinquished her struggle to see his face fade to sadness. Guilt washed over her as he released her arm, pushing her away as though the sight of her made him sick.

" Nira... I'm sorry. I just didn't think Sasuke would react the way he did when he saw us," she explained but he had turned his back on her. She bit back her words and waited for him to speak.

" You really should have just told me no. It was obvious from the night in the pub. You love Sasuke," he said quietly. Sakura froze, her skin growing numb and her heart plummeting to her stomach.

" There's some mistake. I don't l-lo... me and Sasuke are just friends," she choked, face turning a deep shade of scarlett. She thanked the stars Sasuke wasn't around to see her face. But as fate would have it, Sasuke was sitting atop the pub, listening to every word being said. A small smile crept over his face as he watched Sakura nervously twitch, her face stained with a beautiful blush.

'** So she loves me, does she? Not much of a confession, but now I know where things will go from here,'** he thought with hope. If he could just tell Sakura how he felt for her, then all of the confusion would be gone and they could be together. Sasuke gathered his wits and decided to make himself sparse till that evening. Running stealthily back over the rooftops, he disapeared into the snowy haze settled over the village.

Sakura meanwhile stayed rooted to the spot, her eyes a livid green. With a sigh she resigned her falsehoods to Nira and let her body relax.

" Alright. But please, Nira, I never meant to hurt you. I was trying so hard to supress what I felt for Sasuke. But I suppose I wasn't meant to."

He nodded, his face turned to watch her out of the corner of his eye. " You really shouldn't hide what you feel for him anymore Sakura. It'll only break what you have with him if you try to hide your true feelings."

Sakura absorbed his words as he slowly walked away. Her eyes followed him as he entered the bar, then darted around her surroundings. The crowd had dispersed and she stood alone in the snow damp street. Her arms were sore from Nira's grip and she lightly ran her fingers over the tender skin, her eyes searching her pink flesh for the signs of bruising. A small wind crept up the street, blowing the snow around her bare legs. Resigning her careful examination, she shivered and turned toward home.

She wished now she hadn't been so stubborn. If Sasuke had gone, she would never have to deal with the humiliation of facing Nira and having him expose a truth she had yet to discover herself. She had never been in love with anyone. How was she to know what it felt like? And not only that, but for her to be in love with Sasuke seemed to hard to accept. She did care an aweful lot for him, that was true. But did she really love him?

For a breif second, a sensation ran through her body, warming her and sending chills up her spine. Just picturing the boy in her head made smile. As she turned up the street, she hoped silently that Sasuke was home. All she wanted now was to just be near him.

**_Pushing Forward..._**

Sasuke lit the stove in the living room, feeling the heat radiate from the fire blazing within it's steel cage. He turned around, his eyes scouring the room. From the candles lit on almost every surface in the room, to the wine waiting in a bucket of ice on the island table in the kitchen, it was perfect. He felt doubtful for the second time that night, his eyes taking in the sight once more. Perhaps it was too much. Maybe Sakura would think something else was going on.

But what could she assume than what was obvious.

He went to the window, lifting back the dark blue curtain with his hand to look out into the frosty streets lined with people going to and fro. Something told him that somewhere behind the large mass of merchants and villagers, Sakura was walking home. He stood there, his eyes following the mothers with their energetic children, the street peddlers selling their goods to passerbyes, the various ninja he knew. His heart suddenly jumped into his throat when he finally saw her come into veiw.

Her shoulders sagged with defeat. As her feet shuffled along the frozen ground, she glanced up to catch Sasuke watching her from his window. She smiled wide before bounding up his steps and waiting for him to open the door. As soon as the warm air rushed past her and the door was opened to reveil him, she pushed her way into his arms and clung to him as he shut the door behind her.

" Did everything go alright?" He tried his best to make his voice sound as concerned as possible. Sakura pulled back and shook her head. He frowned and led her over to the couch, allowing her to sit as he moved over to the island table to pour a glass of red wine for the both of them. Sakura watched him for a moment before looking around her. Candles were lit all over the room and the soft scent of jasmine incense burned atop the small bamboo waterfall in the corner of the room.

She bit back her laughter before she felt the uncomfortable bubble of nervousness. Sasuke had planned something. Whether this was for her or not, it was the sweetest thing she had ever seen. She turned as Sasuke returned from the kitchen, extending the stemware filled with red wine. She smiled before taking it carefully from him and he sat beside her, his eyes lingering on hers.

" What happened with Nira?" Sasuke asked cautiosly. Sakura sighed and balanced her glass on her bare knee as she looked at the floor, recalling the image of his strong hands grabbing her. She uncontiously rubbed her upper arm, her skin sore from his grip. Sasuke moved closer, set his glass down on the coffee table and shooed her hand away before moving the sleeve of her arm up. The startings of a rather angry looking bruise was already spreading over her skin.

" He did this to you?"

Sasuke's tone was harsh and Sakura merely nodded. She didn't understand how she got herself in situations like this. On one hand she resented Nira for being so childish and not understanding her side of the story. And instead of trying to listen to her, he hurt her instead. But on the other hand, she felt horrid about the way she had just left him alone and then forgot to contact him afterwards. In essence, she didn't beleive she deserved to have him cause her harm, but then again she did deserve some sort of punishment.

" It's not a big deal Sasuke so let's just forget about," she said exasperatedly as she ran her fingers through her hair. He cocked his head as she took a long sip from the glass in her hand. She looked over at him from the corner of her eye and smiled faintly.

" You okay?" He moved closer, his hand coming to rest on her thigh. She nodded as the warm contact sent pinpricks up her leg.

" I'm just a little stressed lately. We only have 3 months to finish off your training and I still have soo much I want to teach you," she explaid. He nodded before interupting.

" We have plenty of time Sakura. Just don't push yourself too much okay?"

She hesitated then smiled. As comforting as it was to hear, she still felt uneasy about sending Sasuke into the exams again. The one thing she had really forgoten to focus on was his Sharingan. With all that she had taught him she had forgotten his greatest advantage in the battlefield.

" Tomorrow we're going to start to develop the Sharingans ability," she said flatly. Sasuke turned and leaned back on the couch, letting out a sigh. His eyes reverted to her backside and he leaned forward, taking the glass from her hand and setting it down before pulling her backwards with him into the couch. She smiled and let herself become enveloped in his warmth. he wrapped his arms around her waist as she rest her head on his shoulder.

" Why do you push yourself soo much?"

Sakura thought long on the question. She knew the answer but didn't feel like he would understand it fully. She was always the one who had to work the hardest. Her acheivements weren't easy. They involved years of blood, sweat and tears. The first year she was accepted into ANBU had been the worst time of her life. The training killed her and the missions proved to drain her of all she had. Tsunade chose her simply because of her mind, not her talents. In some way that had dissapointed Sakura.

" I used to be nothing at all. A sublevel ANBU ninja and the only brains that could seem to work out all of our problems. But I didn't want to be on the strategest squad. I wanted to fulfill my life in the action, where I could be most helpful," she explained quietly. Sasuke nodded, urging her to continue.

" Unfortunately I was the weakest member on my team and I only seemed to cause some delay in out missions. I had gotten hurt so many times and winded up in the hospital so often that Tsunade refused to let me out on another mission till I improved my skills. That was the hardest thing to hear for me."

" Eventually I found that if I pushed myself harder than the previous day, I could be as strong as Tsunade herself. It took me almost a year and a half before I proved worthy to rejoin my team, but at that time, someone else had taken my place and seemed more compatible with my former teammates. So Tsunade gave me a harder job than I had anticipated. She placed me as the proctor to test all understudy ninja to test their abilities to see if they were capable to be called ANBU."

Sasuke took an uneasy breath. That was around the time he had met her. He had realised she was new from the way she would fidget when an entry level ninja would speak up against the test. But she still held her ground that day. In fact, if he remembered, he was the one who had called her out, challenged her to show that she wasn't worth being called ANBU. Of course, that was also the day he was turned away from the examinations after a humiliating defeat handed to him by her.

" I would have never taken the position had it not been for Tsunade's trust in the fact I was strong enough to hold my own among the ranks of ANBU."

Sasuke nodded and let her turn around to face him.

" What is it you want out of ANBU Sasuke. What division would you like to join, given the choice. At this point, you could really do anything you wanted with your IQ level and strength in strategy and coordinated attacks."

He thought for a moment as Sakura stared into his eyes. He really hadn't given it much thought, considering every moment he trained was an excuse to be with Sakura. In fact, the urge to be ANBU was simply for her. The way she looked at him when he accomplished her goals for him. It was enough to make him do anything in the world for her. But all in all, he realized his goal had slipped and for once he was unsure of the career feild he might want to pursue if he was accepted.

" I'm not sure anymore," he confessed. Sakura frowned and looked at him seriously.

" Did you have an idea when you first took the exams?" she pressed, seeing if there wasn't one thing from ANBU that he wanted.

" Yeah but I'm not sure I care for that anymore. I suppose I could always enter into a squad for missions," he said carefully. Sakura nodded. The small amount of dissapointment she felt at that moment slipped as she sighed. His eyes widened and he repositioned himself better to look at her straight on.

" Does that upset you that I don't know what I want?"

Sakura shifted her eyes away, ashamed she had let her feelings show. She didn't want Sasuke to know it bothered her that he had no goals set for himself. She just wanted him to be happy as an ANBU ninja, doing whatever role he pleased. His hands snaked around her waist and he pulled her closer, his head resting against her back. His breathe teased her through her shirt and she shivered from the contact.

" At this point, there's alot I want to do. But I just havn't decided what it is that I'm really looking for. At first it was just to prove I could get into ANBU. But now it's changed. This is my life. It's not so easy to pick and choose like it was when I was a kid." His hands played with the hem of Sakura's shirt and he took note of her unusual silence. Finally she cleared her throat.

" I'm not upset. I just had expectations. Not that it's bad to be indecisive," she added quickly, looking back into his face. For the first time she realized he wasn't doing this for him. The look in his eyes told her everything she needed to know. His onyx orbs reflected something so profound, it scared her. Suddenly feeling uneasy, she bolted upright from his lap and clumsily staggered backwards.

" I-I uh just remembered I have some..." her eyes darted from his to her surroundings. She spotted a pile of papers atop the coffee table and her excuse came on it's own.

" I forgot I have a ton of paper work and if Tsunade doesn't have them by 9 tonight I'm dead. Sorry Sasuke but I have to go," she said smoothly although she was sure he saw past her lie. But he just smiled with a tilt of his head and stood up.

" Alright. I was going to tell you something, but it can wait for another time I suppose. Do you need someone to walk you?"

Sakura shook her head and smiled nervously. Her lip twitched for a breif moment and Sasuke realized her ploy. " No, no. I'll be fine. Besides, it's cold out and you should stay in. I'll come get you for practice tomorrow morning," she said with a step towards the door, but he was upon her before she could blink.

" Sakura, you don't really have paper work do you." His scrutinizing eyes made her face flush and she looked away, only to have her chin caught by his hand. He turned her slowly to face him, her eyes avoiding his at all costs.

" Why did you lie Sakura?"

Her face intensified it's glowing red and she looked at his chest to avoid the disapointment she was sure was written all over his face.

" I'm scared Sasuke," she muttered softly. The soft crakle of the flames within the wood stove was the only noise besides their steady breathing that resounded in the room.

" Why are you scared Sakura?"

She couldnt' tell him that the look in his eyes just then had frightened her. The amount of passion his eyes held had set her off in such a way she didn't know how to handle herself. It made her both excited and terrified all at once. There was something so wrong about how she was sure he was feeling. There was supposed to be nothing between them. Just friends. Just a student and a teacher. Just two simple people coexsisting in the same apartment complex.

She cautiously looked up into his face, seeing the hurt from her excuses, the pain from her constant rejection. With all the underlying tones to his emotions, she had to be sure of just one thing. Taking in a deep breath, her heart beating so hard and fast, she opened her mouth to speak.

" Do you love me, Sasuke?"

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**Author's Notes:**

Wow that took me forever to get out. I wasn't quite sure how to end this chapter. It seemed to just go on and on and on and dear god I'm babbling. I appologise to all who were antisipating this chapter for so long. I've grown a tad lazy and then suddenly school stsrts back up with a new semester and WHAM! homework piles up, friends are beating down my door to get me away from my computer, my mother nagging me to drive her somewhere cuz i need the "expirience" bah.

haha anyways, now that i'm back and kicking, i'll be sure to have the next chapter out a little more promptly. I know some of you are like " I could have sworn she died" whilst scratching your heads. No No nothing that dramatic. but i did get the FMA- Conquerer Of Shambala movie and holy crap is it awesome! i cried like 10 times! ah yes anyways, what you all are dying to know

Chapter 11- Substance

As if I wasn't the biggest pain in your asses already, i have yet another cliff hanger to doom you with! BWA HA HA! yeah yeah its my style, it keeps you reading! Doncha love author's plos for keeping readers.

IN THIS CHAPTER!!!!-

- Sasuke has more than enough problems confessing his love to Sakura

- Ino discovers Sakura's dirty secret and lets the mayhem commence

- Somehow one kiss always leads to more in Sasuke's case

- Sasuke loses sight of ANBU and his self doubt returns

- Tsunade grows impatient to see results from Sasuke

well what a jam packed chapter. its not at all what you may think. it gets soo much better ahaha! so amyways i hope this chapter lives up to its reputation and you all enjoyed it!!

next chapter should be out ASAP

**_Black_**


	11. Substance

So summer is here, i graduated and what not. so so so sorry about the chapters delay. i've been so busy, its not even funny. but now that i have some things out of the way, i'll have time for my stories again which totally makes me happy. plus, i'll have all the time in the world to dedicate to possibly this story and Accidents and a new NaruHina story that has yet to be titled as i have yet to have a good solid plot. i have some basic ideas but i have to have my full attention on it before i start. But yeah there's your recap of my past, of lets say,4 months ahah but yeah, so on with the chappy. oh and thanks to all you who reveiw!! it means alot to me to get so many awesome comments on my fic! it really makes me wanna put more in the chapters that would normally lay to the way-side!

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♥**Caricatures of Intimacy♥**

Chapter 11- Substance

**_With life, there are always decisions to be made, but what happens when those decisions interfere with how you want to feel about something. Could choices change how you see someone and possibly alter how you wanted to see them in your mind? Sakura and Sasuke learn the hard way that sometimes you can't really choose who you fall in love with. It just happens._ **☼

* * *

**_Leap of Faith..._**

Sasuke's gaze never wavered as her words struck him, but the mechanics of his mind were on a rampage, and his heart felt as though it'd tear through his chest at any moment. She stood calmly looking up into his eyes, her bottom lip between her teeth, patiently awaiting his answer. But his throat was constricted and he feared all he would manage was an inaudible noise that might pass off as a no to her. He didn't know what was worse, having the answer and her returning his feelings, or having the answer but being afraid she'd reject him. He'd have to say he'd pick the latter.

" Sasuke?"

Unknowingly his eyes had been blankly staring into hers as his inner dialogue seemed to rant on and on about the horrible outcomes of the situation he had gotten himself into. Had he just stayed at the training feilds, had he just minded his own business, he might not have felt compelled to whisk her away with candles and wine. What the hell had he been thinking?

But his mind suddenly went blank as he felt warm fingers slide up his arm and rest on his shoulder. He was snapped back from the inner depths of his thoughts to see Sakura take a step forward, closing the small space that separated them. Her eyes never met his, but followed the slope of his neck to his lips. Her fingers traced small circles along his shoulder, sending chills up his spine.

Her eyes lifted to meet his finally, the soft seafoam depths capturing him. The firelight and flickering of the candles danced along her face, illuminating her soft features. Pushing aside his fears, he let his hand slip around her waist, drawing her closer till their bodies meshed. Sakura had lifted her other hand and wrapped a fistful of his shirt in her fingers, pulling him closer. Her lips brushed over his cheek, her breath tickling his ear.

" Do you, Sasuke?" she whispered against the shell of his ear. She paused, expecting an answer, but Sasuke was speachless. Her hand swept over his shoulder as she pulled back to look into his deep dark eyes. His pulse was pounding under her fingertips as her hand came to rest on his neck. She leaned forward, her hand wrapped up in his shirt front pulling him down to her slowly.

Sasuke was lost in the moment. Had he been worried at all before, he was almost sure she knew what he wanted, but couldn't, say. His half lidded eyes watched her serene face close in on his, her dark lashes fanned over her blushing cheeks. But most of all was the sight of her cherry lips slowly nearing his. Without wasting another moment, he reached up, tangling his fingers in her hair, and pulled her to him.

Thier lips met in a passionate kiss. Sakura pulled at Sasuke's shirt, gaining some leverage over him as he tipped forward, his lips crushed to hers. His stomach swam with the adrenaline of her lips challenging his as she engaged their kiss further. Her lips parted against his and her tongue swept boldly over his as her hands ran over his chest. His lips were bruised and hinted a tint of purple as she drew back, but barely enough to lets his lips escape her. She left gentle, tantalizing kisses along his lower lip, cheek and jaw. He'd never felt such fear of having so much passion betwwen them without a single word being spoken to engage it.

His heart felt ready to explode as she drew back, looking into his deep onyx eyes that held a fiery depth in the dim lighting of the room. The fire's glow tinged his skin in a soft orange as she ran her fingertips over his face, tracing his lips slowly. He drew in a breath to calm his frantic pulse, but no matter what he tried, her touch continued to set his skin on fire. He knew he had to say it. The silence was stiffling, but they both knew nothing had to be said.

" Sakura, I..."

Her finger pressed to his lips instantly, setting his eyebrows upright in a shocked expression. She kept her gaze where her finger lay, his breath teasing her sensative flesh. Slowly her eyes drifted back to his and in them he saw fear, awe and something close to what he thought, caution.

" If you say it Sasuke, if what you tell me is how you really feel as I think you do, then this cannot get in the way of your exams. Promise me," she sighed as his eyes softened and his lips formed a smile against her finger. He reached up, grasping her hand in his and kissed her fingertip and he drew her hand away.

" I promise, as long as you can promise me something," he whispered. She cocked head to one side, her eyebrow raised with a playful smirk.

" Okay, and what would I have to promise?" she asked coyly as she searched his eyes. She felt anticipation seep through her. What could he possibly want her to promise? Without warning, his hand around her waist pressed her to him and he buried his face in her soft hair, his breath billowing like feathers over her sensative skin. Her face flushed pink and her shaking hands clung to the front of his shirt.

" Promise me that you'll let me love you, just me, no one else," he cooed in her ear. Bright scarlett rushed into her face as he pulled away, his dark eyes taking in her reaction. Her eyes fell to his chest, her knees shaking. She couldn't lie, to herself or him. It's what she'd wanted for so long. Someone to hold, to cherish, as her own. She felt panic suddenly rise and supress her excitement.

" I-I ... " she bit her lip suddenly to break of her nervous studder before he would notice her shaky voice, but the tilt of his head signalled his obvious realization she was shaking like a leaf in his hands. When last had she heard those words?... It had been soo long ago, but hearing them now, it struck up the memory like it had been yesterday.

He had smiled just like Sasuke was, repeating those words the same way against her cheek as she clung to him. The scent of the rain and pine wood had saturated his clothing and filled her nose as she buried her face in his shouder. His fingers, rough and calloused, gently combed through her hair.

Sakura caught herself in the daydream as she looked up at Sasuke, meeting his curious gaze. It penetrated her, looked through her to the inside, trying to see what it was she hiding. She slowly backed out of his arms. Sasuke's fingers lightly dug into the cloth in the back of her shirt as she pulled away from him. He could feel the steady lump in his throat grow harder as she finally pulled from his grasps. Rejection stung.

" You don't feel the same way, do you?" he said evenly, trying to control his painful breathing. He tried to keep calm, but the beat of his heart sent waves of cold sweats down his back. He felt so stupid. He watched her as her fingers wrung her shirt in her hands nervously, her eyes downcast as they scanned the oakwood patterns of the floor. She bit her bottom lip and a glint of a tear fell to the floor. His eyes widened as the soft patter of her tears hit the wood paneling.

" I do, Sasuke. I really do. I'm j-just scared," she whispered. This was certainly not the reaction he had expected when he had daydreamed about confessing his feelings for her. Leave it to Sakura to be a complete mystery. He began to feel the ebb of the rejection as she looked slowly up at him with tear rimmed eyes, her seafoam irises shimmering and pale. He smiled weakly and pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly as she pressed her cheek to his chest.

" I never thought I'd see you cry," he said softly into her hair, feeling her skin goosebump as his breath sent shivers down her spine. She muffled a laugh against his shirt and sniffed back her tears, wiping at the salty trails that gathered at her chin with the back of her hand.

" This is so pathetic. I never cry," she said with a mirthful smile as he looked down at her. He regarded her quietly, his eyebrows furrowed in worry.

" What are you afraid of Sakura? Is it me?"

She shook her head slowly. It wasn't that easy, she mused. No, she was fearful of getting that close again to someone, only to be let down. To end up broken hearted and left all alone with no explaination.

" I should tell you the truth about something," she said carefully, searcing the onyx colour filling his calm gaze. He nodded, urging her to continue. She led him back to the couch and came to sit crosslegged, facing him.

" Awhile ago, I think about a 2 years ago, before we had ever met, I was engaged to be married," she began slowly. Sasuke's eyebrow rose and she smiled with a chuckle.

" Let's just say I wasn't as bright back then. I had fallen for this ANBU luitenant who worked on the medical floor of the ANBU headquaters with me. I'll spare you the details, but we dated for a time and then he proposed. He said we were meant for one another."

She laughed, but grew quiet as she began to think back. Her eyes fell to her lap and she continued.

" We had bought a house, intent on being together forever, starting a family, all the things a happy couple in love would do. I thought he loved me as much as I loved him... but it wasn't like that," she said sadly, her downcast eyes shaded by her lashes.

" He had gone a mission to Sand and apparently while he was stationed there, he met someone else..."

Sakura drew in a deep breath, putting on the best facade she could manage as the pain came back with each word she said.

" He came back a month later, and told me that he had fallen in love with someone else. The day before he had gone on that mission... he had said the same thing to me that you had. It just brought back alot of memories for me, one's I'd rather forget. I don't care for him anymore, don't get me wrong," she said quickly. Sasuke simply nodded but regarded her with stern eyes.

" I would never Sakura," he said strongly. Sakura smiled faintly.

" I know you wouldn't Sasuke. That's why I trust you. That's why," she bit her lip," that's why I love you."

She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. Drawing back barely, she whispered against his lips,

" I promise. I'll be yours, you'll be mine."

Sasuke smiled and pulled her to him, their lips meeting slowly. The candles flickered out around them, all burned to the wick and the darkness enveloped them as they carefully made their way back to the bedroom, ready to make a new life together without holding back.

**_Burn Out..._**

Sakura turned in the arms of her captor, his warm skin pressed to her bare back. She giggled as his lips left tiny kisses along the nape of her neck, his hand pushing aside the long locks of pastel pink hair. The soft morning glow was a welcoming touch as it streamed through the wooden shutters on the window, slants of light illumintaing the couple tangled in sheets.

" Good morning," Sasuke whispered, not wanting to break the peace of the early morning with his voice. Sakura giggled softly as his hand found hers and entwined their fingers. She turned to face him, his sleepy eyes cracked open to peer at her.

" Good morning," she repeated, pressing a chaste kiss to his lips. She pulled back to search his face, the handsome features she loved to look at so much. His raven strands hanging in his face, his deep, dark eyes, his soft smile. She could fall in love with him each day just by the sight of him. He interupted her musing with a sqeeze of his hand in hers.

" What's so interesting about my face?" he chuckled as she blushed faintly.

" Nothing," she replied bashfully," just thinking to myself."

He quickly rolled her underneath him and she let out a yelp of suprise, finding herself pinned beneath him. His eyes roved over her exposed body and her face flushed a deep scarlett as she struggled beneath him, her embarassment apparent by her rosey cheeks.

" Sasuke! Come on," she laughed as she wriggled beneath him. She went silent as his lips pressed to her collar bone and she sighed. " That's not fair," she breathed as he trailed his tongue along her neck to her earlobe. Her fingers dug into the fabric of the pillow case bunched at her wrists as his teeth grazed her earlobe and explored her supple skin.

" Sasuke," she moaned softly as he pulled away, her neck marked with a hint of red in a perfect little circle. Her eyes fluttered open at the extacy of his touch and she furrowed her eyebrows in a mock glare as he gazed down at her.

" You left a mark didn't you?"

He smiled deviously and she wriggled beneath him, trying to break free.

" I told you not to leave a mark!" she laughed as he pinned her tighter, his hands holding hers securely above her head.

" Why shouldn't I again?" he asked coyly, knowing the answer as he had heard it hours before but the look on her face when she had told him had simply caused him to smile. And as he had assumed she would, her pink lips drew into a pout and she looked away, her face flush.

" Because my co-workers will say something," she said under her breath before snapping her eyes up at him, the livid green pools blazing. " And I don't want them to think anything is going on!"

He laughed heartily as he released her arms and sat up. She followed, propping herself up with her elbows as he sat straddling her thighs. She smiled warmly and leaned forward to kiss his shoulder before pushing him over and rising from the sheets. He tumbled backwards before watching her go, her lean form basked in warm sunlight, her lightly tan skin glowing as she slipped through the door way out of sight.

He leaned back on his arms tucked behind his head and gazed at the cealing as the shower sounded from the end of the hall and the shift of the shower curtain signalled the start of the day. He groaned, realizes things wouldn't always be like the night before, wrapped up in her warmth as he drifted to sleep.

Training was still the most pressing matter at the moment and with a hesitant shift of his weight to the edge of the bed, he sighed and made his way lazily to the kitchen to make breakfast. As he pulled dishes from the cabinets, he noted the squeak of the shower faucets and the rustle of the shower curtain again.

" Quick," he said with a smirk.

" As ever," Sakura answered as she strolled out of the bathroom, wrapped in a towel and an extra wringing her hair. She smiled and continued down the hall to get dressed. Sasuke watched her go. Maybe it was just how good his towels looked wrapped around her body, or maybe it was the fact that she seemed to blend perfectly with his morning routine, but he could certainly get used to having her around every morning.

He returned to his work, starting breakfast, and making sure to make just enough for two. Sakura returned a few moments later, the soft clack of her knee high books announcing her entrance to the kitchen. The chair behind him scraped the floor as she pulled it out to sit and he looked over his shoulder to find her smiling at him.

" What's the hurry?" He raised his eye brow as he searched her, hair braided neatly and resting against her clothed back. Her Jouniin shirt clung to her torso, her pants rustling quietly as she shifted in the chair.

" Ah, there's some meeting this morning on the exams and paper work. Tsunade-sama is being uptight about regulation more than usual and I'm thinking she's eager to see the turnout this year. I know I am," she said with a smile. He laughed before piling eggs on her plate and setting it before her. She smiled wide.

" You spoil me," she said as he sat beside her and she left a gentle kiss on his cheek before eating.

Sakura quickly finshed, folding her napkin beside her plate and turning to face the clock. Its brightly painted face read 10:05. Sakura sighed. 10 minutes till she had to be at the meeting. Sliding out of her seat, she grabbed her plate and headed over to the sink.

" So what do you think you'll have to discuss?" Sasuke asked behind her. She turned around and leaned against the sink, folding her arms over her chest.

" I'm not sure. But whatever the case, we'll have to get serious about training from here on out. I hear the proctors are going to be rougher this year," she said with a sly grin.

Sasuke knew she had full confidence in his abilities. He had grown so much since being under her watchful eye and having her guidance with his Sharingan. He had to admit himself, he was feeling cocky about the exams, but he knew better than to let his new found power go to his head. As long as he had Sakura to train him, he felt confident in the exam turnouts.

Sakura walked over and kissed him before grabbing up her bag from the couch and walking to the door.

" The meeting should be done in about an hour. Meet me at the training feilds, okay?"

Sasuke nodded with a smile and she closed the door behind her. She walked down the small flight of steps, pausing to take in the cool morning air whisking past her face. She stepped into the fresh snow and started her walk to the ANBU offices a few blocks away. Frosty blankets of snow glittered untouched from the empty streets while birds sang their wake up calls from the frozen branches of the cherry blossom trees lining the road.

The still morning carried the voices and laughter coming from the ANBU courtyard and she turned the corner past the coffee shop to enter the alley way that served as the entrance to the conceiled ominous building. She spotted Ino and Naruto outside the doors, talking about the recent upgrade in the exams.

" Totally unnecissary," Ino said as she folded her arms over her chest, " my student requires twice as much attention as last year. It's insane the lengths Tsunade-sama is going to to get our new recruits ready for the battlefeild."

" Yeah, well lucky I didn't have to take on a student. I'd have no idea what to do with him," Naruto said with a chuckle. Ino smirked before noticing Sakura approach.

" Sakura! Good morning!!" Ino exclaimed with a wave. Sakura smiled and nodded before meeting Naruto's eyes. He watched her suspiciously as she walked up and joined their circle.

" How are you feeling?"

Sakura turned to the fox boy, meeting his gaze evenly.

" Much better, thank you," she said with a grin. She wasn't sure what it was, but Naruto's whole demeanor was off. Could he tell something was up?

" Feeling better about what?" Ino asked with raised eyebrows. Sakura shrugged.

" I got drunk two nights ago and had a fit getting home. I would've gotten caught in the first snow storm if it hadn't been for Sasuke, Naruto and Neji," she explained. She could stand to leave out her attempted rape. Ino had enough to worry about as it was.

Naruto remained silent as Sakura had hoped he would, but not quite enough.

" Sakura, mind if we talk?"

She felt the bubble of anxiety. What could he possibly want to talk about? She nodded to him before shrugging to Ino and following the blonde boy inside to an abandoned corridor void of ninja. He turned to her suddenly and she had to stop abruptly to prevent running healong into him.

" Woah, Naruto, what's the deal?" she asked as she backed up a step to give them space to talk.

" Something is going on with you and Sasuke and I wanna know what," he demanded suddenly and Sakura's eyes went wide by his tone.

" Naruto..."

" No! I'm serious. He's acting completely not like himself. He was staring at you the whole time we were at the bar and then after you had hit him and stormed out he got all depressed then hauled out of there with me and Neji trailing after him. I had never seen him so panicked. When we found you, he was ready to kill that guy Sakura. He'd never acted so upset in all my years of knowing him."

Sakura watched Naruto quietly as he finished his sentence. He was genuinely worried about Sasuke. She smiled and leaned against the wall. He cocked his head, curious to her attitude.

" Naruto. Sasuke's fine, okay? I promise," she said with a reassuring pat on his shoulder. She brushed past him, but didn't get far when he turned around and stopped her with his words.

" He loves you."

Her feet stopped moving and a cold sweat began to form on the back of her neck. Sasuke didn't want Naruto knowing about them for good reasons. Her eyes widened. She was stuck. She couldn't find her voice. "** This is bad, get yourself out of this Sakura!**" Inner Sakura demanded. She slowly looked over her shoulder. Naruto's face went slack at the pleading look in her eyes.

" You love him too, don't you?"

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Wow o wow. so sorry bout the like 4 months this took to get out. i've been soooo busy and its killing me, i swear. but aside from work and what not, i'm slowly finding time to devote to my fanfics! ah i missed them so much! so i'm hoping you all don't wanna kill me, cuz really, i am sorry you had to wait this long! enjoy!

Next Chapter!

Chapter 12: Keeping Secrets

-Sakura struggles to keep Naruto's mouth shut about Sasuke and her feelings for one another

-The meeting with the Jouniin turns out to be disasterous as Tsunade reveals her reasons for being eager about the exams

-Sasuke's training intensifies as Sakura forces him to push the Sharingan's abilities

-Emotions run high as the holidays approach!

Be looking for this chapter to come out in about a week or two!

Thanks

Black


	12. Keeping Secrets

♥**Caricatures of Intimacy♥**

Chapter 12- Keeping Secrets

_**With life, there are always decisions to be made, but what happens when those decisions interfere with how you want to feel about something. Could choices change how you see someone and possibly alter how you wanted to see them in your mind? Sakura and Sasuke learn the hard way that sometimes you can't really choose who you fall in love with. It just happens.**_☼

* * *

" N-Naruto! That's j-just rediculous!" she laughed nervously, each beat of her heart felt like it slammed against her ribcage. The blood rushing in her ears, the cold sweat forming in her palms, the color creeping into her face. She was going to give it all away without so much as a word. 

" The way you two have been acting isn't," he accused and his peircing blue eyes held her gaze. She was cornered, so terribly cornered.

" Sakura!!"

Naruto's brows furrowed and Sakura felt the breath she had been holding escape her parted lips. Thank God, she was saved. Fate wasn't so cruel this time. She gave Naruto the most appologetic look she could muster in her slowly fading state of panic and backed up around the corner to see Ino standing by the stair case, her curious gaze met by Sakura's grateful smile.

" You coming or what? We'll be late for this thing," she said in her motherly tone that grated Sakura's nerves to no end, but today, she accepted it thankfully, knowing it had just saved her from a potentially dangerous situation. She spared one last look over her shoulder before walking to meet Ino, who waited, one foot tapping on the marble floor.

" Thanks mom," she teased as they climbed the stairs together. Ino shot her a look, but Sakura dismissed it and smiled instead. " But really Ino, thanks," she continued to say, the blonde looking over curiously.

" For what?"

" Everything," she replied, thinking about the secret that might have been exposed. Ino gave her a quizical tilt of the head before shrugging it as they reached the top of the stairs to file into the conference room with a handful of other Jounin. They took vacant seats near the front, where Tsunade sat, her lips drawn into a thin line, her brows furrowed.

Sakura took a carefully measured look at the door as Naruto entered, his eyes scanning then resting on her. Her head slowly turned to advert her eyes from his and he scowled. ' He's suspicious. He'll probably wait for me after the meeting is dismissed,' she thought, a small glint of nervousness showing as her fingers shook as she shuffled the papers in front of her. But she controlled herself. She caught the calculating look from Naruto and defiantly turned away from him.

" As you all know," Tsunade suddenly said, all noise ceasing and heads turned to give the Hokage respect.

" This years out come is very important to me. I know I've been pushing you all hard," she said apologetically, but continued in her flat tone.

" We're on the brink of battle," she stated suddenly and the whole room erupted in talk. Tsunade frowned and nodded her head as questions were shot at her from all. She raised her hand to quiet the chatter and continued.

" The Tsuchikage has declaired war on Leaf." Her voice rang like an alarm in Sakura's ears. War? Tsuchikage!? Why in hell's name would Igawakure wage war against Konoha? The Earth Village and Leaf had a long standing friendship since the Third Great Shinobi War, or so she thought.

" It seems the Tsuchikage's son was traveling through our forests and met with his demise. He has accused me of conspiring his death and blames our 'savage' ninja for the attack," she stated bluntly, although Sakura could tell she was more than furious at the accusations.

" Anyways, this is why the lot of you are training your students so hard and that is why I have to see excellent results. In a few months time, we'll be at war and every ninja will be on the battle feild. So your students need to be prepared." They all nodded with sollem expressions. Sakura felt her heart constrict. Sasuke. In battle. The thought didn't settle well with her.

" I will require weekly updates on your students progress. Do not go easy on them, do you understand? They need to be at the peak of their strength for this," she concluded. " You're dismissed."

Everyone murmured as they exited. Sakura lingered behind, pretending to have dropped her papers, and watched out of the corner of her eye as Naruto's heals dissapeared around the corner of the double doors. She sighed and smiled. Avoiding that was almost too easy.

" Sakura? Having problems?"

Sakura's head snapped up, only to slam into the hard wood table's undersurface. " Shit," she muttered, rubbing the back of her head with her free hand. 'Definitely going to have a bump there,' she thought sourly as she shifted away from the table to stand up, her disheveled papers in hand. Tsunade's scrutinizing eyes watched her reorganize her papers into the manilla folder before the medic nin turned to her.

" No, no shisou, just dropped my papers when I tried to stand up. No big deal," she said casually. Tsunade smiled grimly and Sakura took it as the usual hint that there was something the older woman wanted to say.

" Sasuke is doing well with training?"

" Oh...," Sakura laughed nervously," O-of course, shisou! He's improved drastically since the last test. I'm confident he won't need another test for years to come. He's moved far past rookie Jounin level."

Tsunade rested her cheek in her palm as she regarded Sakura. " You two have worked through your differences then?"

Sakura's fingers gripped the folder just slightly tighter. ' More than you should know,' she wanted to say, but she smiled and nodded instead.

" He's pleasant when you get past his defenses," she said with a giggle. Tsunade simply smiled and Sakura took it as a que the conversation was over. She gathered up her bag and bowed politely before heading towars the door.

" Oh, and Sakura?" Sakura froze and looked slowly over her shoulder.

" Be sure to keep an eye on the Sharingan's progress. I was thinking of putting him on a squad with you for battle-time procedures, if that's okay with you."

Sakura felt her heart skip a beat. She was almost certain she'd say something about how close she and Sasuke had gotten. " That's okay with me. Thank you. Good afternoon," she said before exiting the room. Putting space between herself and Tsunade's office was easy as she slipped down the empty staircase quietly and pushed open the main doors.

The light outside momentarily blinded her as it reflected off the snow, and as her hand rose to sheild her eyes, a hand gripped her wrist and she let out a nervous shreik. Her instinct instantly screamed attack and her free hand shot to her satchel, but a familiar voice hurridly spoke as it saw her intent to defend.

" Sakura, calm down! It's just me," Sasuke said, seeing her go limp with fright before turning on him, obviously angered.

" God Sasuke! Do you always have to sneak up on me?" she exclaimed as his fingers released her wrist and she let her hand fall away from her satchel.

" I just wanted to come meet you so we could head off to the training feilds," he stated, shoving his hands into his pockets. She frowned. The meeting. She had hardly any time left to train Sasuke before they would be thrust into battle.

" Yeah. There's also something I need to tell you," she sighed, feeling the knot in her stomach tighten. Sasuke tilted his head curiously, but she remained silent as she motioned to him and they made their way down the path worn free of snow from the comings and goings of ninja.

They merged into the usual crowd of merchants and shoppers, making their way through the throng of people before crossing the treeline into the feild. It was mostly vacant, save the usual group of children at the far end of the snowfilled clearing, playing their game of tag. Sakura took the bend around a clump of large elms, coming to a more secluded area for sparring before setting her bag down at the base of a tree, clear of snow.

" So what did you need to tell me Sakura?" She straightened up after grabbing a scroll from the front pouch of her bag, looking over at him as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Her brows furrowed and he frowned. Sakura was never this serious looking unless it was of great importance. Sasuke began to feel nervous.

" Your training is going to become alot more difficult Sasuke. Tsunade discussed war with The Village Hidden Among The Stones," she said quietly as she opened the scroll. Sasuke's expression reflected shock and confusion. She frowned and nodded.

" The Tsuchikage's son was killed within our borders, so naturally he blames us for killing his son, with intention of course. Tsunade is outraged, but there's really nothing we can do but defend ourselves from his declaration. Tsunade has given us the deadline of Febuary to have all students ready for battle. I intend to have you above the rest," she said with a confident smile.

" So what are we to do when the time comes?" His anticipation was showing and Sakura raised her eyebrows in surprise.

" You'll be put on the squad under my command. Tsunade's orders," Sakura added with a smirk.

" Well why the hell are we just standing around? Let's get to training," he stated, obviously thrilled about the idea of battle, or perhaps the fact he was asigned to her squad. Sakura nodded before biting her finger, the blood running a scarlett trail down her hand before she flung the scroll open, her finger running down the length of parchment. The letters flashed a brilliant white as the jutsu was activated and the scoll neatly rolled itself up, returning to her hand before Sakura made the seal.

" Genkaku Sougishiki! Illusion Awaking Jutsu!" Sakura shouted and the ground beneath their feet shook violently.

Sasuke stepped back, preparing to defend himself. She had wasted no time in attacking, he noticed with a smirk. The sky above grew dark and his surroundings warped as Sakura's image faded from sight. He activated his Sharingan, searching the now solidifying surroundings. He was no longer in the snow filled feild. He stood at the egde of an enormous waterfall, the roar of the water pounding the earth below filling his ears.

Surprised by his new environment, he turned on his heal and as suddenly as he had, a fist was thrust at his face. He ducked suddenly, the kunai in the hand taking a lock of his hair with it. His feet swept under his attacker's legs and he forced his hands into their abdomen, launching them over the cliff side. Taking quick breaths, he turned to face a sea of Sakuras, each equipped with weapons and waiting to attack.

" Sakura?" His voice rang out among the thousands of copies, but not one replied. He smirked. ' Clever, Sakura. Clones to throw me off. But how did we get here?' he thought as he faced the Sakura clones, dropping into his fight stance. Three of the kunoichi flung themselves at him, slashing the air with their kunai. He dodged their attacks, shifting and rolling to avoid their kicks and punches. He reached into his weapons pouch as he evaded the kunai sent his way, summersaulting into the air.

" Too easy," he said with a smirk.

With a handful of carefully targeted shuriken, he managed to pin the three Sakuras' pursuit. But as soon as they had vanished in a burst of smoke, another team of three came his way. These now performing jutsu, sending collumns of fire and earth his way. He twisted as he fell, the hot flames licking the side of his face as he spun out of the fire's path.

But the pillar of earth below him still sped his way as he landed and all he could do for defense was raise his arms for protection as the wall slammed into his prone body. Now airborn, he did his best to land on the rocky terrain as it came closer, his feet digging into the ground to slow himself. Blood dripped from his forearms, stone and dirt having torn away the skin.

He ignored the sting of the cold air on his fresh wounds and prepared to take the offense as the three Sakuras came at him. One launched herself at him at a surprising speed, but he swiftly grabbed her leg and swung her in a circle, releasing her and she crashed into the other two, leaving smoke at the impact.

Sasuke was breathing heavy, having to counter quickly with every attack. His eyes could see their attacks coming, but the speed at which they came at him in a unison was proving to be more than he could handle. The next team broke from the crowd, planning their attacks carefully and now using teamwork, they performed with synchronized jutsu, these now deadlier than the last. It seemed with each team he managed to deafeat, the next were even more difficult.

On top of that, the fact they were all performing complicated and chakra depleting jutsu was astounding. He narrowly ducked a flurry of petals that flew his way. But one managed to cling to his cheek and he felt a searing pain burst from the side of his face. He quickly swiped at the petal, which floated delicately to the ground. Upon touching the rock below him, he watched as the simple petal emmited a toxic purple liquid that ate away at the rock.

He hissed in pain as the flesh on his face burned intenesly. But his momentary pain was nothing compared to the senbon that suddenly lodged themselves in his shoulder, one after another following the curve of his back. He gasped as lights danced in his eyes. His back screamed as his muscles were fed with poison from the senbon tips. He weakly rose to his feet, his eyes narrowed.

The senbon wielding Sakura landed gracefully after having arced over his body and injuring him with her poison needles.

He could feel the shake in his knees, the way the Sakura clones in front of him fell from focus, blurring and warping. His vision was tunneling, and his body was falling forward. But as he hit the ground, he felt the cold bite of snow and his eyes began to regain attention to where he was. Sakura was kneeling at his side, lifting him from under his arms till he was sitting.

He felt her fingers touch his face, leaving something sticky but soothing on the burn on his cheek. ' Burn!?' He suddenly reached behind him, feeling the pin prick pain of where the senbon had lodged into his back. They were there too. He turned his arm over to see the skin was gone from his forearms, blood still oozing from the wounds.

Sakura pulled a bundle of wrappings from her bag and gently grabbed Sasuke's arm, scooping up the ointment with her fingers and swiping it over the gash and quickly spun the white cloth around his arm, securing it with a pin. As she worked on his other arm, he sat, thinking back to the fight. He knew he had fought the clones far from here. There was the waterfall. But he had never seen a place like that in his life.

Where had he been, and how was he suddenly back here?

" Done," Sakura said with a smile, wrapping what little cloth she had left up and returning it to her pouch along with the ointment.

" Where was I?" He couldn't help the question from slipping. She hesitated, but helped him to his feet. He wobbled slightly before Sakura steadied him, slinging his arm over her shoulders gently.

" It was my special gen-jutsu," she stated. " It might have been a bit much. Your injuries aren't as bad as I thought they'd be however."

" So it was just an illusion?" he asked. She nodded as they walked slowly back towards their apartments, careful to avoid the people milling through the street.

" But how am I injured? Did you fight me while I was under the jutsu?"

" No. The catch about my jutsu is it's more then an illusion. You _will_ get injured by the clones of me. It's one of the forbidden jutsu that Tsunade taught me," she added. Sasuke frowned. Sakura had more up her sleeve then she let on. He wondered just how strong she really was. ' Stronger than me, by far,' he thought angrily.

" I want to train like that. Every day," he demanded. Sakura stopped, holding him back. His dark eyes locked with hers. " I have to be able to defeat all of the clones, or at least put up a suitable fight," he said bitterly. Three teams of Sakuras and he had been defeated. Pathetic.

" I guess we can do that for sparring, but keep in mind Sasuke, I'm increasing the Sharingan practice and your cardio is boosted to three hundred laps a day, with what ever else pops into my head. I have got to get you working like an on-duty Jounin, even if you've never been on the battlefeild," she warned. Sasuke waved his hand impatiently.

" I know Sakura, and I'm prepared for it."

Sakura smiled. She studied his face as he looked ahead and some part of her ached for him. They were months away from war. Worst case sinarios were constantly playing in her head. She didn't know what she'd do if Sasuke died... but she couldn't allow herself the weakness of those thoughts. He was alot stronger than she liked to admit. His potential to be one of the best shinobi was already apparent.

She only wished she had more time. To train him. To be with him.

They reached his apartment and she let him unlock the door before helping him inside. She set him in a chair at the bar in the kitchen and lit the fire in the stove in the livingroom. As his living quarters warmed up, she slipped her vest and her gloves off, setting them on the couch before moving over to take the seat beside Sasuke.

" Take your shirt off," she commanded gently and he lifted the black shirt over his head and set it on the counter top. Sakura reached into her medical pouch and removed a small jar of green ointment and bandages.

" Turn around and straighten your back." He did so and hissed in pain as his muscles constricted against the small, deep wounds.

" Try to relax, I'm taking out the poison," she said softly before setting her hands over his taunt skin. Her fingertips lingered over the upper most injury, and with a small amount of pressure, her fingers lit a gentle green and proceeded to flow through his veins.

Sasuke had never experienced the sensation her chakra had on his body. It felt warm and soothing straight to his toes to the top of his head. The tiny hairs at the nape of his neck rose as Sakura slowly extracted the poison, pulling it slowly from the pinhole left in Sasuke's back. The warmth began to retreat and Sasuke shuddered at the feeling as the last of her chakra was pulled back to her hands.

" The poison is gone, now I'll just patch the senbon wounds and you'll be fine. Try not to sleep on your back for a few days, though. It'll hurt," she said professionally and Sasuke chuckled. He had to admit, he loved it when she fixed him up and healed his injuries. The sensation of her soft hands and chakra on his skin relaxed and coaxed him into submission, to the point where she could poke and probe and he wouldn't lift a finger to stop.

She finished bandaging the last wound as weariness settled into Sasuke's body. He felt more exhausted than he had in days. Sakura could tell he was ready to rest and got off her stool to help him down the hall. She sat him down on his bed and helped him change, leaving his upper body free of clothing to help keep his injuries from hurting him further. She pulled the thick comforter over his body as he settled on his side, his half lidded eyes watching her as she brushd backa strand of raven hair from his face.

She straightened up and backed out of the room as he drifted off, but his eyes fluttered open and she stopped in the doorway as he met her gaze.

" Stay with me," he sighed. She smiled softly and she turned the light off before removing her boots and pants, crawling in beside him in her Jounin shirt and panties. She settled comfortably on her side and his arms draped over her stomach as he pulled her back to his chest before resting his head in the crook of her neck, his soft breath tickling her sensative skin.

He smiled against her neck, leaving a gentle kiss before his eyes closed and he fell asleep. Sakura lay there a moment before she reached for his hand on her stomach, linking her fingers through his before succumbing to the weariness she felt herself. She wriggled back against him, feeling his body heat through the thin material of her shirt before drifting off to peaceful dreams in Sasuke's comforting embrace.

* * *

_Author's Notes:_

Wow, that one took forever to get out. I needed a good plot, something solid, to boost this story ahead, give it some oomff :D but anywho, i'm glad with the way it turned out. Naruto remains suspicious and Sakura still gets to enjoy the secrecy of Sasuke's company. It all works out lol

Next Chapter

Chapter 13- Paper Cut

-Sakura continues to push Sasuke for his best as the deadline approaches

-The buzz of war distracts everyone, even Naruto who happens to find Sakura in Sasuke's apartment early one morning.

-On a happy note, the holidays seem to ease everyone and Sasuke surprises Sakura with a little holiday cheer

-Skirmishes on the border of Fire and Earth prove to push Tsunade and she contemplates sending the original team 7 to handle an outburst that erupts to close for comfort

- The true assasins of the Tsuchikage's son become imperative to find and a special team gets assigned to locate the targets

Wow so a whole lot more to look forward to :) i'll be working harder for you guys. i know it sucks to be on the edge of your seat waiting for the next chapter so i'll get it out sooner!

-Black


	13. Paper Cut

♥**Caricatures of Intimacy♥**

Chapter 13- Paper Cut

_**With life, there are always decisions to be made, but what happens when those decisions interfere with how you want to feel about something. Could choices change how you see someone and possibly alter how you wanted to see them in your mind? Sakura and Sasuke learn the hard way that sometimes you can't really choose who you fall in love with. It just happens.**_☼

* * *

It was barely dawn. The silver halo of the sun's first rays stretched over the horizon in a steadily progressing sliver of light that danced along the Fire Country's forest. Sakura watched the environment awaken, the land sparkling in the pale morning, frost touching everything. She stood on the back porch of Sasuke's apartment, a steaming cup of tea in her hand as the songs of lovebirds filled the cold November air. 

Her free hand clutched the fronts of her button down shirt, or rather, Sasuke's shirt. He remained in perfect slumber just within the sliding glass door that led from the porch to the bedroom. Her eyes scanned the piles of blankets, the lump in the center of the bed visably breathing with the rise and fall of the duvet laying over his bare back. His dark locks were splayed over the light blue pillow, his face set in a peaceful smile.

She moved towards the door, carefully sliding in closed behind her. She made her way to the bed, setting her mug down on the nightstand before pulling back the blanket covering Sasuke's back and proceeded to check his bandages. The senbon wounds had bled through the clean, white gauze with the tossing and turning he had done during his restless slumber and she noticed him wince as her fingers touched the tender areas. His eyes fluttered open upon feeling the ache in his back from the oversensatized nerves and she smiled down at him, his sleepy gaze studying her face.

" I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you," she said softly, laying her hand against his cheek. He closed his eyes breifly as her warmth fed into is cold face. She carefully brushed back his bangs and withdrew her hand as he propped himself up on his elbow, emmiting a drawn out yawn before turning to sit. He hunched over, trying to ease the throb that stretched down his side.

" How long have I been out?" he said with a thick voice, rubbing at his sleepy eyes.

" Just a night, since yesterday afternoon. I need to replace your bandages, they've bled through while you've been sleeping," she stated and he nodded. She rose to retreive her satchel from the chair and returned with the ointment and gauze in hand. He allowed her to move to the spot behind him and bit his lip as she began to remove the old dressings.

With careful fingers, she placed a dab of the medical salve to each wound and placed the fresh gauze upon the numerous injuries. He sighed contently as she finished the last one, his muscles throbbing with pain. She set her palm against his back and pressed her chakra through his muscles, relaxing away the throbbing ache. He felt immediately better and sat up straight to test his back.

" Thanks, that feels so much better," he sighed, stretching out his arms over his head. She gave him a hesitant smile, but he hadn't noticed. Her eyes fell back to the glass door, the sunlight filling his room. The chill from the outside air had penetrated her and her hands slid up and down her arms as she shivered slightly.

" You'll catch a cold. You shouldn't have stood outside dressed like that for so long," Sasuke said quietly, looking over his shoulder at her. She shook her head, standing up and moving away from the bed toward the bathroom.

" I'm going to take a bath," she sighed as she slipped through the half open door. The tile beneath her feet was freezing and she hissed as the bite of cold nipped at her already chilled toes. She hurridly turned the hot tap, the water soon emitting steam as it filled the porcelain tub. She gently dipped her feet into the tepid water and bit her cheek as her feet stung while her skin warmed.

Sasuke listened to the water run, slight splashes disturbing the soothing sound. She was distant this morning, not something common for her. She seemed more at thought than he had seen her in weeks. He knew it was because of the war, the deadline, his training. Their relationship.

He rubbed his shoulder slowly, working out the knots and sighing as he thought about recent happenings himself. The sounds of Sakura's undressing made it difficult, but he tried to focus his hearing away from the sound of lapping water and her content sigh drifting from the bathroom.

War was imminent. He knew that was the main worry plaguing Sakura. He knew she was delicate to violence, even as high a ranked Jounin as she was. Even when he would be put under her squad, he felt she might stay her hand from battle to prevent... mishaps.

The thought of death made him shiver.

Whether it be his own or Sakura's. No. He wasn't afraid of dying. He was a shinobi. Ninja were trained to be elites, indestructable and absolute in every dealing. He couldn't, and shouldn't, lower himself to thoughts of weakness. He could handle battle. And Sakura. He needn't question her abilities.

She had proved to be craftier than he had normally thought. From the day that they had met, he knew she was no normal kunoichi. She had an air of vurnerability, but the second she was crossed, she became a force to be reckoned with. Her strength and quick thinking proved to be more than enough for him, or any other opponent, to handle.

" Sasuke?"

Sasuke's eyes drifted up from the intricate design on the comforter covering his legs to Sakura wrapped in a towel, her fingers combing through her wet hair. She leaned casually against the bathroom doorway and watched him through her sea foam eyes. Her brows were creased and her lips were pulled in a thin line, making her appear far too old for her age. If it weren't for her hair and eyes, she could pass as Tsunade.

" You okay?" he asked as she continued to gaze at him.

Without a word she drifted over to him and sat down on the edge of the bed. Her hand found his and she gripped it tightly. Her eyes seemed to grow intensely dark and misty as she looked from him to her thumb rubbing over the back of his hand.

" When... the time comes for us to move to the border," she paused, taking a deep breath to calm her emotions. He watched a tear fall from her face hidden behind the curtain of pink, wet locks. He reached forward, tilting her face up to meet her eyes with his concerned gaze. Her eyes were brimming with silvery tears, their wet trails tracing over her flushed cheeks and gathering at her chin.

" I'm scared for the first time since I became the head Medic Jounin. I've seen terrible things, done terrible things, but this. I never thought I would have to fight a war," she whispered, holding back sobs as she looked into his deep onyx eyes. This was her vurnerability. Her fear of losing someone, him namely. He was seeing her at her weakest, but she looked so strong as she held back her tears.

" Sakura, everything will be fine. I promise that nothing will happen," he said sternly, pulling her to his chest. Her fingers pressed to his bare chest, her tear slick cheek pressed against his warm skin.

" I know this is our life, the life that I chose when I was younger. But it seems so much harder when you find something worth fighting for that could be stripped from you at any second," she said quietly, her moist breath fanning over his chest. His fingers found their way into her hair and she sighed in comfort in his arms. " Aren't you scared?"

He thought about her question carefully. He wasn't really sure what he was afraid of. Battle wasn't something a ninja should be scared of. It was an innevitable part of their lives.

"No. I know as long as I have a goal, I'll follow it to the end. Even if it means fighting for my own life, or yours. I value what I have. I'm not about to let it all go," he replied and she looked up into his face, searching his eyes like there was something hidden in the gaze he returned. She leaned up, leaving a wet and chaste kiss on his mouth and she could feel his lips pull into a smile at her action.

" Nothing will happen to us Sakura. You're one of the strongest ninja I know. What could you be afraid of?" he said with a chuckle. She smiled weakly and looked down at her hands smoothing over his chest.

" Losing you I guess. I just wish we didn't have to go through with this. I want to stay like this with you, where we have no worries, no threat to the way we are now."

He smiled wide. She had thought about this alot. She wanted a future, a definite future with him. The idea didn't scare him off, not like it had with so many other woman. The thought of being tied to one person never appealed to him much. But Sakura. She was different. He could see himself with her and only her for, well, the rest of his life. It was daunting how far their feelings had grown from the first kiss to the first time they made love. He was attached to her and he liked it that way.

" You know what I thought the first day I met you?"

His voice whispered over her cheek as he nuzzled into her neck. She smiled softly as let his fingers link through hers. Her eyes fluttered as his breath touched her skin in steady rhythm with her heartbeat.

" No, what?"

" I thought you were the most amazingly beautiful woman I had ever seen. I wanted to impress you so bad that I made an ass out of myself that day. I remember when you told me I wasn't ready to be a ninja and all I could do was stand there and stare at how your lips formed my name. I've always wanted to tell you. But I thought that you'd laugh at me."

" Sasuke..." Sakura pulled back, shock written on her features. He suddenly felt stupid for saying anything. But her soft laughter broke the silence and he relaxed. She nudged him with her finger and gave him a toothy smile as she playfully tugged a loose strand of hair hanging in his face.

" You know, I'll admit when I first saw you, I could feel my heart beat a little hard. Considering you were so devilishly handsome," she said with a giggle. " But then you got upset because I kicked your ass. I thought you would think I was a bitch for beating you."

" No. I thought more along the lines of ' She must think I'm an idiot'," he chuckled and she laughed. Secretly, she had thought he had been a bit ridiculous, trying to show off like a Genin fresh out of the academy. But thinking back on those days when she started that fight with him, she was ashamed of how poorly she had handled the situation. To think they could have been together longer if she had just done things differently.

" Sasuke, lets go out and do something. Just us," she said suddenly and sat up to look at him excitedly.

" Like a date?" he asked hesitantly as her eyes got round and her lips spread in a wide smile.

" That's exactly what I mean!" She nodded her head energetically and cuddled into his arms. " I've wanted to ever since the first time we talked about being together and now I don't care if people know about us. They'll be too absorbed in the war to care about a couple of ninja dating."

He had to admit, she made sense. No one would care if they were seen together. With the war being the news, people wouldn't even bat a lash at them.

" Yeah, that sounds great," he said finally and Sakura gave him a quick peck on the cheek before getting up from the bed. She quickly grabbed her pants and pulled them on, tying back her hair into a messy bun. He eyed her questioningly as she unbuttoned his shirt from her body. She tossed it onto the bed and pulled her bra on, her Jounin shirt following.

" Going somewhere?" Sasuke asked as she pulled her boots on. She stopped mid calf, the zipper between her fingers. She looked up at him with a smile.

" I'm going to get ready for our date," she replied, her fingers pulling the zipper the rest of the way to the buckles. She finished strapping up the last boot and grabbed her bag by the door. He swung his legs out from the covers and sat up. She stopped in the door, looking over her shoulder.

" Be at my house in an hour for our date, okay?" Her bright sea foam eyes watched him and he nodded. She grinned and walked out, leaving him sitting on his bed. He chuckled to himself. It was always like her to be a whirlwind of activity.

It seemed things were progressing and he felt the slight knot of worry tighten in his stomach. He still had so many doubts about how people would take their relationship.

But for Sakura, he would do anything. He thought about what Naruto would say, considering he had a feeling he already knew. His mind was restless with the idea of taking Sakura anywhere. He was more than thrilled she was his, that he would have her on his arm and she would be with him tonight. He smiled and got up stiffly, making his way to the bathroom to shower and get ready.

Something about being out with the woman he loved seemed to push all thoughts of war and battle out of his mind, and for the first time in a long time, he stepped into the shower singing a happy tune.

* * *

A/N:

Well shoot guys, I'm really sorry this took forever to update. I finished my first quarter at the Art Institute and it's Christmas break at the moment so I find I have some time to spend doing what I missed! So far I'm liking the direction the story is taking. I still need to speed things up a bit to get into a more action based, suspense "on-the-edge-of-your-seat" feeling to it. but hey, I'm just one woman lol

On to the next chapter:

Chapter 14: Snowstorms

- A few people find it shocking how the stoic Uchiha and prized pet of the Hokage are dating

- Panic rises in Konoha as war is anounced to the villagers

- A storm strikes, leaving Sakura and Sasuke torn between duty and themselves

- The deadlines are nearing as the new year approaches, and tension rises between our two favorite ninja

well thats all i really can give away. hopefully some of you still read this thing :D haha until next chappy!

Black


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